Season 6: Waking the Swan
by LincaPendragon
Summary: Theoretical Season 6: Hyde and the EQ partner up to merge his world with Storybrooke in order to create a new kingdom for them to rule. Emma is placed under a sleeping curse and Hook's kiss fails to wake her. Is there someone else who can wake the Savior and save the day? Perhaps, a certain mayor? SwanQueen Slowburn.
1. Episode 1: Sleeping Swan

**This takes place right after season 5, and is thus a theoretical season 6. Hook is back from the Underworld, Robin Hood has died, and Mr. Hyde is in Storybrooke with the goal of joining his world with Storybrooke and ruling over the new land. Furthermore, Regina has separated herself from the Evil Queen.**

EPISODE 1: SLEEPING SWAN

Emma was curled up next to her pirate in the home he had chosen for them back when she was still the Dark One. A pale blue light streamed gently through the window and Emma stared out across all of the shadows in the room. She couldn't sleep, a problem Hook certainly didn't share, judging by the rhythmic snoring and loose grip of his arm around her stomach.

Mr. Hyde had been in Storybrooke for three days already, making his plans. The gang hadn't been able to figure out his endgame yet, and hadn't been able to stop him, either. They had tried, but some sort of magic protected him. He had claimed to be the new owner of the city, by Mr. Gold's doing, and as such seemed to have certain powers there.

Emma had tried to reason with him, to no avail, and when she realized her family was in danger, she made to end the beastly man. Two bullets shot through his flesh, and he faltered, appeared to die, and then rose again.

"You cannot be rid of darkness so easily, Mrs. Swan," he had crooned with a sneer. "This is my town now. You cannot stop me."

Emma shuddered now, thinking back on his cruel tone and the evil in the man's eyes. She shivered, but felt too warm—the blankets and Hook's body heat, it was all too much warmth for her. With a gentle grip she raised Hook's wrist up off of her stomach and dropped his arm gently at his side. Slowly, as not to wake the sleeping pirate, she rose off of the bed and tiptoed out of the room.

In the pale moonlit rooms downstairs Emma paced slowly about, unsure of what to do with herself. She was too anxious for sleep and had too much on her mind.

There was the new big bad to contend with, of course, but she had an inkling in the back of her mind that there was more to her discontented state. Hook was back, and she was thrilled. Still, she felt guilty. Again, because of her family, Regina had lost her love. Emma hadn't seem much of the former Evil Queen in the past few days, and found herself missing her friend, and still feeling guilty for assuming she would so easily resume being the Evil Queen she had once been.

The Evil Queen though—she was dead now. Perhaps Regina could finally find her happy ending, and without that darkness holding her back, perhaps, Emma secretly hoped, they would be able to forge an even stronger and more stable relationship. Emma had always believed in Regina; she had stood beside the mayor long before the mayor had grown to believe in herself. Sure, they had had their rivalry when Emma had first arrived and Regina was fearful of losing Henry, but since then the mayor had become a close friend, and family, and together they worked to raise their son and find Regina's happy ending.

But Emma had accidentally caused Regina to lose that happiness that she had found with Robin Hood. Because of Emma wanting to go to the Underworld to save Hook, Hades had been able to kill—no, worse than kill—Regina's soul mate. And with Hook back, Emma wasn't really able to console her friend, who instead found solace in her sister. There was a twinge of jealousy for Emma, and she shook her head with a frown, disgusted at the selfishness of her thoughts.

Emma rubbed her temples and willed back the dampness that formed in her eyes. She wanted to make up for what she had done, but didn't know how. She had caused the death of her dear friend's love and then been so idiot as to lose faith in her right when Regina needed her, when Regina was hurting and needed her friend. But, what could she do? She felt all the worse because of Hook; she was glad for his return, but it didn't seem fair.

The sheriff glanced at a clock on the wall to see that it was a little passed four in the morning, not _too_ strange of a time for her to take a walk. Without even bothering to changed out of her pajamas, sweat pants and a tea shirt, she donned her red leather jacket and crept outside into the cool summer night. Maybe a jog would help her clear her mind.

The cool air felt wonderful on her just-damp skin as she turned around another corner almost an hour later, having toured most of the city already. She had stopped for a bit where Henry's castle used to be, to think, but only for a short while before she had taken off once more through the nearly vacant town.

She now found herself on Mifflin Street in the wee hours of the morning, the town just beginning to grow a bit brighter with the oncoming day. Emma slowed to a sluggish walk, unsure of what it was she was doing. She had felt drawn here, and had circumvented it for the duration of her run, but now—here she was, just down the street to Regina's home. At first, she thought perhaps she had wanted to talk to Henry, but as she walked the dark road, her thoughts fell instead on her former nemesis. There was a solemn tug at her heart, a pang of desire to see Regina, to sit and talk with her, to somehow glean that she was all right—that they were all right.

She knew she couldn't very well go knocking on the mayor's door at such a time, but still she didn't stop her slow pace towards the Mills House and once there, into the yard. Instead of heading towards the front door, she turned instead to walk around the house to Regina's prized apple tree. She had cut down this very tree once, back when she and Regina were at constant odds, but it had regrown with the arrival of magic.

Emma sat on a bench in the small courtyard, admiring its dimlit beauty, staring fondly upon the tree, as if it stood as a testament to Regina herself, and her strength to withstand and regrow.

The sheriff rubbed her arms nervously, still unable to ascertain her own reasons to being there on the Mills property in the early hours of the morning. She knew that a part of her wanted to speak with her friend, to see her face, but it's not like she would actually go knocking on the door, so why was she still here? She sighed and hid her face in her hands. She should be at home, with Hook, not sitting there in Regina's yard.

"Miss Swan," said a voice that somehow both snapped and sang. "What are you doing here?"

Emma jumped to her feet in a scramble, turning to face the source of the voice. "Regina, I-" she began, but stopped when she saw the woman before her.

It was the Evil Queen standing before her, staring her down with a curious smirk on her face, her hands and their magic held at the ready.

"No," Emma stammered, "this can't be. I watched Regina crush your heart. You disappeared…"

The Queen threw back her head in a haughty laugh. "Haven't you learned, Miss Swan? It isn't so simple to destroy darkness. I can't be destroyed so easily."

"Wanna bet?" the sheriff retorted, the sharpness in her voice conveying a confidence she did not actually have. She held up her own hands and held her own light magic there, ready to strike.

The Evil Queen laughed once more. "Do you really think you can stand up to me?" She smirked when Emma narrowed her eyes in response. "Unlikely."

Emma watched the other woman cautiously as she began a slow circle around the sheriff.

"Are you in your pajamas?" the Evil Queen asked with a sharp laugh, her cruel, teasing tone causing Emma to flush in embarrassment. "Hmm," she continued. "It's been awhile since I've looked upon you. I think. You know, it's sort of hard to tell when I ended, exactly, when I lost control." The Evil Queen looked away from Emma and towards her—Regina's tree. "Her memories are mine, but they also aren't. It makes me sick," she snarled. "We became so weak. All this love business. You just had to convince us, her, that we deserved love. Look where that got us. Got her."

Emma swallowed hard, her ears burning with shame. "It wasn't meant to happen like this," she mumbled.

The Queen laughed and turned back to the sheriff, her dark eyes glittering. "Of course not, Miss Swan. It was meant to be a happy ending, was it not?" She shook her head. "That isn't for us. That's for you hero types."

"You-she...Regina is a hero," Emma defended.

With a scoff, the Evil Queen glared Emma down. "She's weak, that's what she is. I'm here to put an end to her at last, so we can stop ignoring our destiny. She gives me a bad name."

Emma's heart was pounding. "I won't let you hurt her," she declared, raising her hands higher. _Henry needs her,_ she thought. _We need her. I need her._

She shook her head at that last thought. Of course she needed her, they all did. She was part of the team. They wouldn't succeed without her. She was Emma's friend, and Emma cared about her.

The Evil Queen raised a brow, wondering what was going through the sheriff's mind. "I suppose you wouldn't," she snarled, "what with being the Savior and all."

Emma fumed. "This isn't about that. Regina's my friend and I won't let you hurt her."

The Evil Queen had walked away from Emma and towards the apple tree. She reached calmly up and plucked an apple off a branch. "Friend," she muttered impatiently. "Right. Is that why you always put your needs first? Is that why you chased after your beloved and got ours—hers killed?"

Emma, despite herself, glanced away in her shame. "I never meant for that. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me, Miss Swan," she responded with a sneer, sauntering back towards the sheriff. "As I said," she leaned in close, and Emma could not refrain from looking towards the woman and into her dark eyes.

Emma gulped.

"Love is weakness," the Evil Queen stated calmly. "And don't worry," she added, leaning back once more, smirking when the blonde sheriff took a deep breath, "I'll put her out of her misery."

She made a gesture as if to magic herself away, but Emma quickly grabbed hold of her wrist.

Emma, bristling, snarled, "No, you won't."

The Evil Queen briefly lost her confident smile, and she stared Emma down as if to study her. "Do you realize who we are? What we've done? Sure, she's separated herself from me, but does that really excuse her for all the lives we've ruined, the people we've killed? She was me, we were the same person. We did those atrocities, together. Let it go, Miss Swan. Heroics and happy endings aren't our thing. I'm going to set this right."

There was something strangely earnest in the Evil Queen's voice, something that seemed to be genuinely asking Emma to let her go, as if what she was about to do was the right thing. She sounded more like the Regina Emma knew, the one she trusted, and she nearly let go before coming to grips with what would happen if she did.

"Over my dead body," Emma snapped.

The Evil Queen growled, and in a sudden, quick movement, shoved her hand into Emma's chest. With a painful tug, she ripped out the heart that beat therein.

Emma gasped in both pain and shock. Her eyes went wide with fear.

"You've become quite the nuisance, Miss Swan. I think it's about time I put an end to the "Savior" and get you out of my hair once and for all." She tightened the muscles in her fingers, prepared to crush the pulsing heart in her palm, but found that, for some reason, she could not bring herself to do so.

"Can't do it?" Emma taunted, her tone just barely betraying the fear that nearly rocked her legs beneath her.

"As if," the Evil Queen responded coolly, covering her tracks. "I merely thought that perhaps there would be a better use for this." She sneered.

Emma grimaced. "Give it back," she muttered, "it doesn't belong to you."

The Evil Queen laughed. "Are you so sure? I do hold it in my hand, after all."

For some reason unbeknownst to her, Emma blushed slightly, and hoped that the oncoming daylight was not yet bright enough to betray her.

"I control you," the Evil Queen declared. She gave a laugh. "You're mine." She raised Emma's heart up before her face and gave it a slow kiss, causing Emma to blush even more. With her other hand she raised the apple she had plucked from the tree.

"Perhaps," she considered, "I could have some fun before I go killing the only people left in town." She raised the apple to Emma's lips as purple magic sparked at her fingertips. "Eat," she crooned, staring intently into the blonde's emerald eyes.

Emma stared back into the dark eyes of the Evil Queen and saw in them something familiar. They were Regina's, but with an unchecked darkness within them, and yet, as she stared into their dark hues and heard Regina's voice command her, she felt herself pulled towards obeying. She trusted Regina, and that instinct was there, grappling with the one that reminded her that this was not the same woman she had come to call her friend.

"Take a bite, Emma," the Evil Queen whispered softly into the heart she held within her hand, forgoing the usual colder titled with which she usually addressed the other woman.

Emma could no longer resist. She parted her lips, biting slowly into the apple being offered to her. Its juices dribbled across her lips and down her chin. Her eyes grew heavy and fluttered shut, closing on the image of Regina's—no, the Evil Queen's face grinning triumphantly over her.

"Regina…" Emma called out weakly.

"Emma!" Regina's voice called out in a panic, softer and more earnest than the one she had just been speaking to, its sharp but genuine tones echoing across Emma's mind as the last shred of consciousness flowed away.


	2. Episode 2: Heavy Sleeper

EPISODE 2: Heavy Sleeper

Regina, dressed in dark silk pajamas, sprinted barefoot across her lawn. "You bitch! What did you do to her?" Regina questioned her other self desperately, pushing Emma on to her back and checking for a pulse. Her vision was blurred with tears she tried to hold back. She had just lost Robin, she couldn't lose Emma, too.

The Evil Queen laughed, her deep voice echoing through the dawn, and Regina stood to face her, raising her hands in preparation.

"Why do you even care? You realize she's our enemy, right? The _Savior_ , out to defeat the villains."

Regina tensed. "She isn't my enemy. She's yours. I got rid of you. I destroyed you! How are you here?"

The Evil Queen just brushed off the question nonchalantly.

"What did you do to her?!" Regina questioned again, her voice tight with her fear and desperation.

"Don't worry, dear, she's just sleeping," came the cool, taunting reply, as she raised the apple she held, clearly displaying the bite mark Emma had left behind.

Regina knew, immediately, what had happened. A sleeping curse, just like the one she had tried to place on Emma so long ago. She noticed then too, what her other self held in her other hand: Emma's bright, pulsing heart. Regina's heart skipped a beat.

"Give that to me," she demanded, nearly begging. "It isn't yours to play with," she exclaimed.

The Evil Queen chuckled, holding up the heart to look fondly upon it. "And what, I suppose it's yours to play with, then?"

Regina flushed, drawing her face into a scowl. "Give me back Emma's heart," she demanded again.

"Fine, fine," the Evil Queen drawled. "Not like it's useful to me with her in this state, anyway." She handed the heart over to Regina, who took it gently into her hands. "I've had enough fun for now," stated the leather-clad woman. "I came here to kill you, you know, but Emma stopped me. I still could, but this seems like more fun, anyway. This might teach you a lesson you seem to have forgotten."

Regina glanced worryingly over at the sleeping sheriff and the Evil Queen scoffed. "You still haven't learned, have you? Love is weakness, Regina."

Regina turned back to the Evil Queen with a snarl. "You don't know anything," she growled, holding up a hand and building a fireball. "I've killed you once and I can do it again."

The Evil Queen just rolled her eyes. "As I've said, I've had enough fun for now," and with that, she disappeared in a purple cloud.

Regina immediately returned to her friend, kneeling beside her. "Emma, why?" she asked softly. "What were you even doing here?" She positioned herself above the other woman and tried to put the heart back in her chest—but it wouldn't work. She tried again, but nothing. Something was stopping her from placing the heart back where it belonged.

 _This can't be good,_ she thought.

* * *

Later, Regina stood next to Emma's bedside at the hospital, guarding over her friend.

Emma's heart was locked away in a box that Regina carried with her. She had considered keeping it in her vault, but quickly realized that the Evil Queen knew all about that secret, as did many people others at this point. She had considered giving it to the pirate for safekeeping, but something about that just didn't seem right. She didn't fully trust that he could keep it safe, so instead, she vowed to keep it with her where she could personally keep it safe.

Even though it was technically the Evil Queen who had cursed the Savior, Regina could not shake the sense of guilt she felt. After all, those had been her own desires, once. "I'm so sorry, Emma," she whispered.

"What the bloody hell happened?" questioned the pirate as he rushed into the room, followed immediately by the Charmings.

"Emma… Regina, what happened?" Snow asked softly, rushing to stand on the opposite side of the bed, looking over her daughter with tears in her eyes. She cradled a sleeping Prince Neal in her arms. Charming came up behind her and place his hand on her shoulder. He wore a deep frown.

Hook grabbed hold of Emma's hand and peered at her with loving eyes. "Swan, c'mon, wake up."

"That won't work," Regina explained coolly, missing the usual taunting edge of her voice towards the man.

"Regina..." Charming began.

"She's sleeping," Regina interrupted, looking away. Her eyes were damp, and she did not want them to see. "It was...the Evil Queen. She's back, she did this."

"A curse?" Hook questioned, looking towards the mayor incredulously.

Regina nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"But Regina," Snow began, not understanding, "I saw you kill the Evil Queen. She disappeared." It didn't make sense. A part of Snow grew suspicious at the former Evil Queen that stood before her, an old habit. But she quickly reminded herself that Regina's darkness had been separated from her.

Snow looked over her daughter, and briefly wondered why she was in her pajamas. With a glance at Regina, similarly dressed, more questions formed. The situation was simply quite strange, but those details did not seem important at the moment.

"How could this have happened?" Charming asked.

"I don't know," Regina said simply. "All I know is she's back, and got Emma to take a bite of a cursed apple." She glanced down at Emma before looking away, ashamed. She held the box with Emma's heart under her arm, considering how to tell the others about it—or if she even should. She turned away to faced the door. She couldn't tell them—she wasn't sure why she felt that way, but she did. She would guard Emma's heart herself, and this way they wouldn't argue with her about who should look after it.

"Watch after her," she said, "I'm going to go find…her" she faltered, feeling strange referring to someone that was technically her, but also not. "I'm going to make her pay."

"Regina," Snow called out softly. _She shouldn't go alone,_ she thought with a frown, but she was reluctant to leave her daughter's side.

"Aye," said the pirate. "I'll come with you." It was hard to see Emma like this, so helpless. He wanted vengeance.

"No-" Regina began, but she was quickly interrupted.

"Hook, should you, you know…kiss Emma?" David asked hesitantly.

"I uh, well," Hook responded. He lowered his eyes, refusing to look across the bed at the Charmings, or to acknowledge their hopeful stares. He knew that a true love's kiss was the way to break a sleeping curse, of course, but the truth was that he was scared of trying and failing.

Regina paused her exit, but did not turn back to face the others. She did not want to see the loving display from the pirate—her own wound was too fresh, and she felt so helpless, unable to awaken Emma, and so guilty, knowing that she herself had tried to do this very thing.

"Well?" Snow questioned with an impatient quip. She was eager to see her daughter awake once more.

The pirate glanced around nervously, trying to ignore the uneasy quivering of his gut. "I'll try," he conceded, "but not with you lot standing around watching."

Snow jumped slightly as she took action, regretfully shooing Charming in front of her and out of the room. Regina followed, ignoring the part of her that wanted to wish Hook good luck. She had never really liked the pirate, for some reason. Emma could do better, and yet she drug herself through hell, literally, for the man. With a sigh, Regina exited through the door with the others.

After a small debate with herself, she decided to hang back with the Charmings, her own stomach quivering with the nervousness she felt. She wanted her friend to wake up, but a part of her doubted the pirate ability to accomplish the task, a part of her didn't want him to succeed, because it would validate a relationship she didn't consider good enough for her friend. She stood in the hall, facing away from Emma's parents, her usually hard face softened with worry.

Behind her, Snow shifted her child in her arms and leaned against the wall, fighting back tears. Her husband paced the floor, glancing into the room to see the pirate hovered over his daughter looking anxious himself.

"David," Snow scolded, and yet, she wanted to know what was happening, too. Thus, she was somewhat disappointed when he actually listened and came to stand beside her.

Inside the room, Hook stood over Emma, holding her hand in his. "Emma," he whispered softly. "I just came back, you can't leave me now." They were finally getting somewhere in their relationship. She had finally been opening up to him. _Why did she have to do this?_ He thought. He thought of the Evil Queen—of Regina, and felt a sharp pang of jealousy in his chest. It always seemed like Emma chose her friend over him-she was so involved in finding Regina's happy ending, that she chose to take on the darkness, abandoning the rest of them, just to save Regina. It also seemed to him like Emma never had the same problems with Regina when it came to opening up. Just as Regina relied on Emma and opened up to her, Emma seemed to be open with Regina. He knew it was because of how similar they were, two hurt souls in a town full of fairy tales, but he also acknowledged a certain rawness between them that made him uneasy.

He was worried. He wanted Emma to wake up, and knew that she needed true love's kiss, but…they had tried that once before, only to fail. He gulped and gripped her hand tighter with his shaky hand. Finally, he leaned forward and brought his lips tenderly to hers. He held them there for a moment, waiting for something to happen—but nothing did.

He pulled back, blinking away the tears that formed in his eyes. He released a single, long shaky breath of air and glared at nothing in particular. "I'm sorry Emma."

But he wasn't really surprised. It had never been easy with them. They came together, and fought, and fell apart. They came together, and were torn apart. There was always something—it was a slow, forceful endeavor. It didn't have that rawness.

He took a deep breath and dropped her hand at last, wiping his tears. After a moment he walked shakily out of the room and into the hall, where he stood before the others, unable to look up from the floor.

They knew—the truth of it all hung painfully in the air.

A tear escaped down Snow's cheek and Charming wiped it away. "Wait," she exclaimed suddenly. "It can be family, right? Emma kissed Henry to wake him from his curse!"

She quickly ran back into the room. Without hesitating, she leaned down, holding Neal to her chest, and kissed her daughter on her forehead. She hung over her for a bit, waiting for that magical pulse—again, nothing happened. "Why isn't it working?" she asked desperately, her vision blurring. A tear fell onto Emma's forehead and she wiped it away. "Emma, wake up!"

The others had followed her back into the room and were watching the scene before them with sad eyes.

"Why isn't it working?" Snow demanded again, turning to face the others.

Nobody had an answer. Even Charming had to look away, ashamed that he did not know.

Snow sobbed, the tears freely falling down her cheeks.

"Somebody answer me," she begged.

Charming stepped forward and pulled his wife into a gentle hug, gazing sadly at her and little Neal.

Regina gave a soft sigh. "I think Emma's kiss with Henry was different. She isn't just his mother, she's the savior, too."

Snow sobbed again, feeling hopeless, and Charming was holding back tears.

Hook felt ill and ashamed. His kiss had failed, and everyone knew why. He loved Emma, and she loved him. Of this, he had no doubts. But now, more than ever, he knew: he was not her true love.

"Mom?" came a quiet voice from the doorway and they all turned to see Henry standing there. "I got your message…" he added, stepping into the room. But then he saw Emma on the bed and stopped in his tracks, his heart slowing painfully.

"Mom?" he called again, this time his voice wavering.

"Henry," Regina began, but her words were ignored as he ran passed her to Emma's side.

"Mom, what happened?" he asked, glancing back at Regina.

"The Evil Queen," she answered, stepping towards him.

He looked back at her, his face contorted with confusion. "You—she? I thought she was gone?"

It was an accident, and Regina knew it, and yet it struck her in the heart. Henry no longer saw her as the Evil Queen, but she could not deny that the Evil Queen had been a part of her. All of this had been a part of her own devious plans once upon a time.

"She's back, it would seem," she responded, trying to keep her cool.

"Is she…" Henry couldn't bring himself to ask the question.

"She's alive, Henry," Snow answered softly. He knew that, judging by the beeping monitor, but she seemed so still. He reached out and grabbed her hand, nearly dropping it at the shock of how cold it was. He shuddered.

"Sleeping curse?" he asked knowingly.

"Yes," Regina answered.

"Hook, why don't you wake her up?" Henry questioned, not looking away from his mother's sleeping face.

"I, well," the pirate began, not knowing what to say. Finally, clearing his throat, he simply said, "I tried, lad."

"But…" Henry stopped himself. He knew what that meant without asking. He glanced backwards at Hook with sad eyes, a look that the pirate briefly returned before looking away.

"I can wake her," Henry said at once with confidence.

"Henry, I'm not so sure…" But Regina went ignored as her son kissed his mother gently on the forehead, astonished by how cold she felt.

Once more, nothing happened.

"Why didn't it work?" he asked, turning to face the others. "Mom, why didn't it work?" he repeated. "She woke me…"

Regina found it hard to look her son in the eyes, to see all the pain therein, but she forced herself to do so. "Henry… She was able to wake you not only because she loves you, but because she's the Savior. Emma needs her true love."

Hook's heart broke a little further and he left the room, barely holding himself together.

Snow and Charming watched after him with sad eyes, but Regina did not even acknowledge him. She felt bad for the pirate, she did, but Emma was more important.

"What are we going to do, Mom?" Henry asked, holding on to his other mother's hand and looking down at her with tears in his eyes.

"I don't know how to help her," she admitted helplessly.

Snow and Charming joined their grandson at Emma's bedside.

"But I know who did this, and she's going to pay," Regina added with vengeance in her voice, sounding too much like the Evil Queen herself.

Henry looked back at her with uncertainty. "Mom, you can't," he said. "You aren't the Evil Queen, you can't kill her. Not like this, not out of vengeance."

Regina was about to object when Snow spoke up.

"Besides, Regina, you tried that once already. She just came back. We're going to have to figure out how to defeat her once and for all."

Regina thought over Snow White's words for a moment, trying to formulate a plan. "Well," she said, "I suppose I need to talk to Dr. Jekyl then. He might know something."

"Good idea," said Charming.

"Good luck, Mom," added Henry with a quick smile before turning back to his other mother.

Regina gave her son a weak smile and looked over Emma's sleeping face one last time with a pang in her heart before leaving. _I'll figure something out, Emma_ , she thought.

"I promise."


	3. Episode 3: Darkness Reigns

EPISODE 3: DARKNESS REIGNS

Talking to the doctor had proven to be a useless endeavor. In fact, all it really accomplished was filling the timid man with fear as he wondered if his evil half was just an indestructible.

Regina remained as cool as she could on the outside, but inside, she was panicking. On top of that, she felt alone, unsure of who to talk to, but quickly she remembered that she now had a sister she could rely on.

She made her way towards her sister's house to enlist her aid in their newest crisis, and to see her niece, Little Robin.

Back in the hospital, the Charmings were gathered around Emma. Henry held his mother's hand on one side of the bed, and Snow held her daughter's hand from the other side. Charming stood behind his wife with a hand on her shoulder for comfort, the other arm holding his infant son, as he stared down helplessly at his sleeping daughter. Hook stood behind Henry, unable to look too long at the woman he loved but couldn't save.

Nobody had explicitly mentioned what had happened, or didn't happen, when he had kissed the sleeping sheriff, but they knew, and the pirate felt a deep shame. Moreover, he felt broken knowing, without a doubt now, that he was not her true love. He had had his doubts, but was sure they would persevere, that the love would grow. The love had grown, but still, there was no denying it—someone else was her true love.

Despite himself, his mind wandered, wondering just who her true love could be. He knew it could be anyone, but had an inkling that it would be someone from the Enchanted Forrest. Somehow, Emma was always connected to the land of her birth. Even her first love, Neal, had come from there, without her knowing, as did her closest friend growing up, Lily.

With a shudder down his spine he wondered if Neal had been her true love. If so, how would she be saved? But no, that just couldn't believe it. There had to be someone else, and he would show up to save Emma. The thought made Hook both happy and terribly depressed, his stomach churning in his gut. Nonetheless, he found himself hoping that whoever it was, Emma's true love would come walking through the door to wake the sleeping sheriff, even if it meant facing their impending split.

"How is Miss Swan?" asked a commanding voice entering the room. The sullen group gathered about the sleeping Savior turned to make sure the voice belonged to Regina and not the Evil Queen. Henry gave a sigh of relief to see his mother standing before them dressed in her usual posh garb.

"Mom," he greeted. "No change. What did he say?" His voice was hopeful.

"He?" she questioned, strolling over to Henry and placing her hands on his shoulders to look down on the sleeping woman as well.

"Dr. Jekyl," he added.

"Oh, that pathetic man had nothing useful to say at all," she replied smoothly. "So, anyone have any ideas?"

The solemn glances she received were her answer.

They stood in silence for awhile before she spoke once more. "So, does Miss Swan have her heart back?"

"What do you mean?" Snow questioned in alarm.

"You didn't know? The Evil Queen ripped out her heart before putting the curse on her." Her voice was cool and uncaring.

"Regina, how would we have known that if you haven't told us?" Charming demanded, narrowing his eyes.

"What's going on, Regina?" Snow questioned, her voice low but commanding.

Henry looked back and up at his mom with questioning eyes, and jumped slightly at another voice speaking suddenly from the doorway.

"Get the hell away from my son!" the voice of Regina called out, and they all turned to see the mayor standing in the doorway with a fireball in her hand and a lioness's fury in her eyes.

Henry scrambled away from the woman holding her shoulders just as Hook gripped the woman's collar and threw her away.

"Get out of here," Regina commanded again, her voice shaking with anger. Henry had scrambled to stand behind Snow, who stood just behind Emma's bed, having taken her son back into her arms. Charming and Hook stood in front of the bed, both ready to protect Emma with their lives.

Regina continued. "And get out of my clothes! You don't get to be me! That's the whole damn point of being separate. Get away from my son, get away from my friends, now." She spoke as she entered further, circling around the Evil Queen masquerading as her, pushing her towards the door.

The Evil Queen smirked and gave a quick laugh. "Fine, fine," she sneered. "But dearest Regina, don't you think you should tell them that their precious Savior is missing her heart? They don't seem to know anything about it, and I can tell Miss Swan doesn't have it back."

"How could you possibly know that?" Regina asked with narrow eyes.

The Evil Queen responded after a pause. "Truth is, I don't fully understand it myself, but I can sense it there, in the box you carry, and not with Miss Swan. You can sense it too, I'm sure. Don't ask me why, I rip out hearts—I crush them—I don't care to understand them."

"It doesn't matter," Regina responded with a growl. "Just get out, and never come near my son, or Emma, or any of us, ever again."

"I'll leave, for now. But you don't get to control me, Regina. Not anymore. If I must kill your little Savior to prove that to you, I will do so, sooner than I intend, anyway. For now, I have bigger things to deal with." With that, the Evil Queen vanished in a swirl of dark magic.

Snow let out a burst of air, as though she had been holding her breath the whole time. She leaned over her daughter, holding her to her chest. The thought of losing her made her heart ache deeply in her chest.

Regina suffered a similar ache, fearful for the lives of Henry, of Emma, and the others.

"I'm so sorry," she confessed, turning away from where the Evil Queen had last stood and facing the others. "I never expected her to masquerade as me, considering his great disdain for me and my 'weakness'."

"It's not your fault Regina," Charming explained.

"We're just glad you came when you did, love," Hook added.

Snow wanted to ask if Regina had learned anything about how to defeat her evil self, but was too shaken for words. Instead, she clung to her daughter, memorizing her face.

Henry, his voice shaking as much as Snow White, asked the question instead.

Regina answered with soft tones. "No," she explained. She grappled with whether or not to discuss her visit with her sister, not being particularly fond of her thoughts on the subject. Before she could decide, Snow found her voice.

"Regina," she said, her voice too calm. "Why do you have Emma's heart?" She didn't look away from her daughter, but the look on her face told Regina that she was not happy with what the Evil Queen had admitted.

With a slight blush she hoped nobody could see, Regina answered, "I tried to put it back, but for some reason, I am unable to do so."

Finally, Snow looked up, a slight anger in her eyes that she tried to control. "That does not explain why you currently carry it with you. Why you never told anyone else about it."

Regina held Snow's stare, with some difficulty. "I thought it would be safest with me," she answered, and this was true. "I did not mean to keep it a secret," she added, "I was just so worried about waking up Emma that I failed to mention it," this statement was not true at all. "I'm sorry," she finished, and these words were somewhat true. She was sorry for abusing their trust, but felt as though her personal reasonings were just.

"Would someone else like to guard over it?" she asked, looking at Hook in particular.

The pirate looked towards to the floor. "I think not," he mumbled, the failed kiss fresh on his mind. "I think it is better in your hands, love, her close friend," he added, "or her family's," he gestured towards the Charmings.

Regina looked towards them as well, hoping they would not want to take her guardianship away from her.

Snow considered the question, and glanced from Charming, down to her sleeping son, and back to Charming. "I agree with Hook," she said at last. "You'll be able to protect it better than we can. We have our hands full."

Regina gave a slight smile, and turned to her son. "Henry?" she questioned.

He smiled up at her, but the usual twinkle was missing from his eyes as he worried over his other mother. "I trust you, Mom," he responded, and then turned back to the sleeping blond.

Regina walked closer to the rest of them and gazed down at the sleeping sheriff with a lump in her throat. Here was the woman who drug them to the Underworld and set in motion the events that lead to Robin's death. But now, more than ever before, without the Evil Queen inside of her, did not blame the Savior. After all, as she had said many times before, they had willingly followed her there, and really, if Emma asked, she would follow her to Hell and back again. Emma had stood by her side through so much. She had even taken in the darkness and become the Dark One to protect her.

She swallowed past the lump in her throat and spoke with some difficulty. "There is no reason to keep her here," she said softly. "I wanted to be sure everything was normal, and it is. Since it's just a sleeping curse and not some coma, she'll be just fine without all these monitors and tubes."

"We'll watch over her at our place," Snow quickly stated.

Regina raised a brow as she considered this proposal. "There isn't exactly a lot of room there," she explained, "especially since your family keeps growing. I have an idea of somewhere with room where she'll be safer than at your place," she added, "but I'm not sure you'll entirely like the idea."

They looked at her questioningly.

"Zelena has an extra room," she began, ignoring the beginnings of their uneasy protests, "and she has the power to stand up to the Evil Queen. And I'll stay there, too, whenever I can."

The others considered her words carefully, the uncertainty etched on their faces. Zelena, until very recently, had been far from an ally.

"And you trust her?" Snow asked carefully.

"I do," Regina responded. "She killed her true love for us, remember."

"Are you sure that hasn't just made her evil again, losing him?" Hook asked, and the implication was clear. It was Regina's loss of Daniel that lead to her becoming—creating—the Evil Queen.

She fought the urge to snap at him and instead said calmly, "Yes, Pirate, I'm certain she hasn't gone Wicked Witch on us again. I trust her. She'll help protect our sleeping sheriff."

* * *

Meanwhile, the Evil Queen had magicked herself into what she considered her office at the city hall, only to find the elegant room already occupied. Sitting at the desk, leaned back and relaxed, was Mr. Hyde.

"Hello there," greeted the fearsome man, his cruel features drawn into something of a smile.

The Evil Queen bristled. "What are you doing in my office?"

"Your office?" he responded with a deep chuckle. "No no no, not anymore. This is my town now, you see, gifted to me by that imp."

The Evil Queen narrowed her eyes. "Why would he do such a thing? He isn't known for doing favors, what could you have had to offer him?"

"And just why should I indulge you, my lady?" Hyde asked, his voice dripping maliciously. He stood up straighter in his chair and stared the woman down. He meant business.

The Evil Queen leered at the man. "I'm no friend to the pathetic inhabitants of this town," she explained. "Perhaps you have heard of me—I'm known to most as the Evil Queen."

Hyde's eyes lit up with recognition. "I see," he drawled. "So you and I have come to be by the same method, is that right?"

"Indeed," she responded simply, strolling casually over to the couch and resting herself upon it, pouring herself a drink from the decanter that sat on the coffee table nearby.

With a grin the man stood and joined the brunette on the couch, sitting across from her. "Similar enemies make for great partnerships, wouldn't you say?" His voice was low, and grating, but his malicious intent thrilled the Evil Queen and she found herself smirking at his proposal.

"Perhaps," she replied, "what's in it for me?"

"Would you care to take a little trip with me?" His lips curled into a confident smirk and he filled her crystal cup once more. He was strangely suave, and a new evil adventure was just what the Queen needed to let loose and show the world that she was back.

"Will there be chaos?" she cooed.

"With you at my side? Most definitely."


	4. Episode 4: Warmth

EPISODE 4: WARMTH

Snow White sighed heavily, her sad, tired eyes watching over her sleeping daughter. She was sitting in an armchair pulled up next to Emma's bed in the spare room of Zelena's home in the woods. Across from her sat Henry in a chair of his own, holding on to his mother's hand while fighting against his droopy lids.

Charming had already gone home with the little prince to put him to bed, and Snow had promised to be along soon. However, she was having a hard time tearing herself away. She knew she needed to take Henry back to her place soon so he could get to sleep, but the boy was being quite the trooper. He was clearly fighting his fatigue, but said nothing of it. Snow was sure Henry was just as reluctant to leave Emma behind.

Regina strolled quietly into the room and took in the scene before her, Emma's family rallied around her in the dim light, watching over her. She felt a pang in her heart at the sight, for multiple reasons. For one, it was a heartwarming sight—a real, warm family, unlike the chaotic one she had come from. For two, she was now part of this family, mostly because of Henry, but also because they had brought her into the fold. She felt even more welcome now that the Evil Queen was no longer a part of her, but she knew in the back of her mind that they had forgiven and accepted her nonetheless.

Finally, she felt the pang in her heart because she too felt the desperation and fear at Emma's predicament, ever aware that they had no idea of how to wake her up. She felt a lump in her throat, but swallowed past it and merely stood near the doorway, watching her son and step-daughter watch over the woman she had come to consider her best friend.

Little Robin began to cry softly in the other room, and Zelena's footsteps could be heard as she made her way to care for the infant. They could hear her humming a lullaby, and Regina could imagine her sister with the baby in her arms, bouncing her up and down gently as she sang the child back to sleep. Not long ago, the image would have been worrisome, but now it made her smile.

"Why is she so cold?" Henry timidly asked. "I can't get her to warm up." He rubbed his mother's hand, but to no avail.

Snow shook her head. "It must be part of the curse, Henry," she responded, "she's cold to me too." Her voice was sad, dejected.

Before Regina could speak up to confirm their theory, Snow spoke once again.

"It's pretty late," Snow whispered, mostly to Henry. "I suppose we had better be going."

Henry opened his heavy eyes and the room swam back into focus. He must have fallen asleep.

Regina suddenly felt guilty at the situation, at having suggested that Emma be kept here instead of with her family. "You're welcome to stay," she offered softly, stepping into the room and placing her hands on Henry's shoulders. "I know there really isn't room, but I understand if you want to stay with Emma."

Snow White stood up, but Henry seemed to contemplate the offer. "I won't stop you if you want to stay, Henry," Snow yawned, "but I bet your mom could use some rest, too. Regina, that is, I mean, and we could all use a good night's sleep so we can figure out what to do tomorrow."

Henry thought it over. "You're right. I trust you mom, you'll take good care of her." He stood and walked towards the door. "Goodnight mom," he added wistfully.

Snow walked towards Henry. "We'll see you in the morning, Regina," she said before walking through the door. Their footsteps could be heard walking down the hall and muffled goodbyes could be heard between them and Zelena before Regina heard the front door open and shut once more.

Regina sat down in the chair Henry had just been in and looked over at her friend, carefully placing the box with Emma's heart on her lap. Soon after, footsteps worked their way down the hall, but Regina made no move to turn to see who it was.

"Gina," her sister greeted as she walked into the room. "Here are some blankets and pillows." She placed the bundle on old couch across the room.

Regina couldn't focus on Zelena's words, and gave no response. Instead, she was lost in her gaze at the sleeping swan, wistfully wishing for her friend to open her eyes.

Zelena made her way to Regina's side and placed her hand on her shoulder, finally getting her sister's attention. Regina looked up at her sister with her dark hues with a lost expression.

"Are you going to be all right?" Zelena asked, her own expression soft and caring, something Regina was still getting used to. It warmed her heart to have her sister in her life as sisters ought to be, instead of as an enemy.

"Yeah," Regina croaked, "I'll be fine." She turned back to the sleeping sheriff.

Zelena was not wholly convinced, but made to leave the room nonetheless, assuming Regina just needed some time alone. As she reached the doorway, however, she turned back and asked in barely a whisper, "She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

Regina wasn't sure how to answer at first. Her initial instinct was that Zelena was mocking her, but this wasn't the Wicked Witch talking, it was her sister, and Regina knew that her question was sincere. Finally, she found her voice. "Yes," she answered simply. After a pause, she continued, "Emma was the first person to believe I could be something other than a villain. She pushed me, and still pushes me, to believe in myself. When the darkness was free and coming for me, she took it instead. She did that for me, because she wanted me to be free. I owe her so much, and now…"

Zelena stepped back across the room to stand at her sister's side. "This isn't your fault, Regina," she argued. "This was the Evil Queen."

"You said it yourself Zelena, when I came to talk to you. The Evil Queen is me. We were the same person, and this was my idea, long ago when I thought Miss Swan was my enemy. I may not have enacted this curse this time, but I might as well have. It was once my plan, and if I had been stronger—if I could have faced my own darkness instead of letting it free, this never would have happened."

Zelena frowned, her bright green eyes downcast as she looked down at her sister. She had her own grief to contend with, having just lost her true love, and knew Regina was mourning just as well. It was hard to imagine how she must have felt with this burden on her as well.

"You'll find a way to wake her," Zelena assured, "I'm sure of it. And we'll stop the Evil Queen, and we'll stop Hyde, too. I've got your back now, and we're a force to be reckoned with." Her eyes glittered slightly at the proposal, standing side-by-side with her sister instead of across from her, fighting on the same team.

The brunette looked up at her sister once more and gave her a weak smile. "Thank you, Zelena. It means a lot to have you on my side."

The redhead smiled back and gave Regina's shoulder a final squeeze. "You best get some sleep, you'll need the rest for tomorrow."

Regina nodded and turned back to Emma, leaving Zelena to exit into the room across the hall where her sleeping baby rested.

Emma was sleeping soundly, her chest rising and falling with her steady breaths. Regina found herself imaging that the sheriff was simply asleep as usual, and that in any minute her eyes would flutter open, her emerald hues looking towards Regina. But of course, she did not awaken, and wouldn't without true love's kiss.

"Emma…" Regina whispered, reaching out to grab the blonde's hand. It was cold, just as the others had said, as though the woman was ice. It was the only real indicator that this was no ordinary sleep. She had been expecting the cold, but the depth of the chill startled her and she dropped Emma's hand back onto the bed.

She sat still for a moment, her mind blank and tired. Then, for some reason unbeknownst to her, Regina opened the box in her lap and lifted Emma's heart and held it before her face. It was bright, and healthy, but cold, just like the rest of Emma.

With a worried frown, Regina turned her gaze from the pulsing heart back to Emma's peaceful expression. With a sigh, she reached out to Emma again, wrapping her fingers around the sheriffs. They were cold, frighteningly so, but the longer Regina held on to them, the warmer they became.

At first, nothing about this struck Regina as strange, until her son's words echoed in her mind. _I can't get her to warm up._ Stunned, the sleepy brunette also realized that the heart she held in her other hand was growing warmer as well, just faintly.

Alarmed, Regina dropped the sheriff's hand once more and quickly placed her heart back in the box, and then placed the box on the nightstand. Her heart was beating quickly, almost painfully. She could hear the blood rushing in her ears. What could this mean? Why did Emma warm to her touch, but no one else's?

She sat painfully still, ever aware of how loud her heart was beating over the quiet. The only other noise she heard was Emma's slow, steady breath.

Emma looked so peaceful as she slept, but Regina knew she was suffering. Sleeping curses came with horrendous nightmares. Nonetheless, Regina was taken by the woman before her. She was used to the sheriff's fiery attitude. Even when the blonde was being friendly, she was passionate, and she had been the only person to ever really stand toe-to-toe with her as equals. Now, she was so still, and it was almost unnerving. Yet, the brunette couldn't deny the grace, the beauty, that she saw in the features of the other woman. Her soft lashes resting upon her elegant cheeks, those soft lips—a unique mixture of features from both Snow White and Prince Charming. She made a fine Savior, a knight in her own right—truly, Regina's knight in shining armor, not that she would ever admit that out loud.

Robin had been there for her, believed in her, but Emma had been the first. With Emma things were open, raw. They connected from the beginning, even as enemies. The difficulties in their relationship always came from Regina herself, from the selfishness and fear she had held in the beginning. With Robin, everything around them seemed to be fighting to tear them apart, right up until the last moment.

 _Why am I thinking these things?_ Regina thought. _I'm so tired. I'm not thinking clearly._

She sighed and rubbed her temples. _Damnit Emma, nobody else gets in my head like you do. Even when you aren't even awake, it would seem._

She looked again towards her sleeping sheriff, her mind muddled. The room around her had grown dark, the only light coming from the small lamp on the nightstand. The dull glow illuminated the sleeping woman, casting a quiet yellow sheen over her face and highlighting her features.

Slowly, Regina reached out once more, gently wrapping her fingers around Emma's. Yet again, she was astonished to feel the warmth spread into the slender digits of the other woman. She leaned in closer, cupping Emma's hand with both of hers, feeling the heat rise across Emma's palm and through her wrist.

 _Why is this happening?_ Regina's exhausted mind questioned.

Curious, Regina reached up with one of her hands towards Emma's face. She hesitated with bated breath, and then stroked the sleeping sheriff's cheek. It grew warm wear her fingers grazed the flesh, her skin growing a slight shade of pink. Quickly it faded, and Regina sat back, still holding on to Emma's hand.

Suddenly, Emma's fingers twitched, and, startled, Regina nearly flung the hand away from herself. She fought this urge, however, and stared at their hands in shock, waiting to see if it would happen again.

 _Great,_ she thought. _Now I'm imagining things. Maybe I really should get to sleep._

She sighed and rested her eyes, but they soon shot back open. Emma had moved again, this time linking her fingers with Regina's.

Regina's eyes darted back and forth from Emma's still face to their interlocked hands.

"Emma…" she whispered again, and this time did not fight against her urges. She lifted the sheriff's fingers and leaned forward, pressing her lips against them.


	5. Episode 5: The Precipice

EPISODE 5: THE PRECIPICE

Regina stood on the precipice of a deep, dark canyon. She stared into its abyss and saw a deep, purple cloud churning in its depths.

"Regina?" It was Emma's voice.

Surprised, Regina's eyes shot upwards, peering across the deep split in the earth. Across the wide chasm stood Emma, her own eyes narrowed as she peer back across at Regina.

"Emma!" she called out. _Am I dreaming?_

"Are…are you really here?" Emma shouted.

"I'm here Emma, I'm here."

Emma looked relieved, but unsure. She continued to stare over Regina as if she was nothing more than an illusion.

"What's happening, Regina?" she asked. "I've been in the dark, I've been remembering things…horrible things. Like nightmares." She looked uneasy, almost panicked.

 _I must be in her dream_ , Regina realized. It wasn't unheard of, but to do so on accident, without the difficult magic—that made little sense. "You're asleep, Emma. Cursed. Do you remember?" Regina called across the chasm. Her voice echoed in the churning darkness below, and the purple shadows began to churn more ferociously.

Emma stood, thoughtful, before realization shown across her face. "The Evil Queen," she said calmly.

Regina nodded.

Emma began to pace, holding her head in her hands. "Hook!" she shouted with sudden realization, turning back to face Regina across the canyon. "True love's kiss!"

At first, Regina just stared quietly across the abyss at Emma, unsure of what to say. She couldn't find the words to break the news to her friend, so she simply shook her head.

"It…it didn't work?" Emma asked.

Regina nodded, a solemn look on her face.

The news hit Emma and slowly sank in. Tears filled her eyes and she had to crouch down to keep her balance. So, Hook wasn't her true love after all. After everything they had been through together, after everything she had risked for him.

She felt ill, as though someone had just punched her hard in the gut. It was hard to breathe. But, deep down, she was not as surprised as she would have expected. After all, as she had just thought about all that they had gone through, everything that had stood in their way. It had never been easy. Not with Hook, not with Neal, not with anyone.

Regina watched as Emma slowly understood what the news meant and felt so deeply for the other woman. It weighed in her heart and threatened to bring tears to her own eyes. She didn't like the pirate all that much, and had, on more than one occasion told Emma that she deserved better—to be happy—to find something that wasn't so difficult, but she knew that Emma cared for him, and the pain on Emma's face was like a weight on Regina's chest.

Emma wiped her eyes and looked across the way at Regina who stood, watching her friend with sad eyes. She suddenly felt more grateful for her friend than she ever had in the past, realizing just how close they had become. They had a way of pushing each other to being better people. They supported one another, no matter what. Despite their past, their friendship had blossomed rather easily, despite all of the strife they both faced individually. With Regina, Emma was open. She had even taken on the darkness for Regina, and it was Regina she had trusted to bring her down if it had come down to it.

 _Raw_ , she found herself thinking. That's what it was like with her former nemesis.

"How…how are you here, Regina?" she asked at last.

Regina looked around, studying the barren landscape. The chasm went on in each direction for as far as her eyes could see, and there was nothing else cracked, barren soil all around. The sky was a blaze, like a fire, and Regina was beginning to sweat.

"I don't know" she responded honestly. "I'm…with you outside," she said. She wasn't sure if she wanted to admit she was holding Emma's hand. A part of her could still feel it, as though their fingers were interlocked in this world too.

Emma looked around as well, as if looking for something, before turning back to the brunette. "Regina…" she said softly, her voice carrying across the crack. "I'm always so, so cold. So cold it hurts, so cold it almost feels like I'm burning."

Regina frowned, thinking about how cold Emma was back in the real world.

"But," Emma continued, "I'm not cold right now. My hand," she said, holding it up and staring strangely at it, as though it held some sort of secret. "It feels warm. It's the only part of me that has felt warm this entire time, until now, now that you're here. I'm…warm now." She closed her eyes and basked in the warmth, as if she was simply standing in the summer sun. "It feels nice," she whispered, and Regina barely caught the words.

Regina could feel the blush that rose to her cheeks as she watched her friend and heard her words. Emma deserved to know, to understand why her hand felt warm, but Regina couldn't bring herself to admit that it was her, not when she didn't understand why, why she could warm the sleeping sheriff when nobody else could.

"I'm sorry Emma," she croaked instead, her throat growing tight.

Emma watched her friend curiously. Was she blushing? Or was that just the heat. "For what?" she asked.

"For everything. For this," Regina gestured around her. "This…curse, it was my plan once. And if I hadn't released the Evil Queen…"

"Regina, this isn't your fault," Emma was quick to interject. "I wanted to help you get rid of your darkness. I still do. I'll do whatever I can to help you."

Regina was astonished, but happily so. Even in her cursed state, Emma was worried about her, trying to save her.

 _You aren't just the Savior_ , Regina found herself thinking, _you're my Savior_. But as the words crossed her mind she cleared her throat and turned away, flushing brightly from the thought. _We're friends,_ she reminded herself. _She's just being a friend. Why am I getting all sappy about it?_

"Regina?" Emma called out with worry.

"Thank you, Emma," Regina responded, still not facing back towards the blonde. "But first, we need to find a way to wake you."

"You will," she responded. "You, Henry, my parents, Killian, you'll figure something out. I trust you."

Regina tried not to make too much of the face that her name came first, and that Hook came last, in Emma's statement. Her emotions were getting the best of her, the feelings bubbling too close to the surface and threatening to bubble over. She took a deep breath, attempting to keep them down, but she suddenly felt as though she were drowning in her feelings for the sheriff, in her appreciation, her affection—whatever it was.

She turned to face the blonde, feeling the desperation hitting her, the desire to have her friend back, awake once more. The chasm suddenly felt even wider—too wide. Emma was too far away.

She was about to speak, to say something—anything—to promise to find a way to save her friend, when the earth began to rumble. The crack began to grow even wider, and both women stumbled on their feet. The darkness in the depths churned and churned, and began to rise, filling the air. Regina could barely see Emma now, and her vision grew more and more clouded.

"Emma!" she called out, shielding her eyes. "Come back to me," she said in barely a whisper.

"I will," Emma shouted out, no longer visible. Regina was shocked, not having expected Emma to hear her last words. "I will always…" her voice faded into the darkness.

"Regina?" Emma called out from the other side, but it was useless. They were too far apart now. _I meant it, Regina,_ she thought. _I will…I will always find you_. The words rang in her mind and tugged at her heart.

She suddenly felt as though she had wasted those words on Killian when she had gone to the Underworld to find him, and this thought made her feel so guilty that she felt sick. She loved the pirate—there was no denying that. True love or not, it was love, and she cared for the man. She had proven that in the Underworld, when they had done the test. But the more she thought about it, the more she wondered if that test really meant anything. After all, it was in her nature to save people, she was the Savior. She likely would have done so for nearly anyone.

But now, in this moment, her heart was calling out for someone else, yearning for someone else. Her words rang truer than ever before, for she felt that her very soul sought to find her former enemy.

As the realization dawned on her, the sheriff was stunned, unsure of what to think, of how she felt. All she knew for sure was that she was certain that Regina would be able to wake her from her curse, and that she, the Savior, would deal with Regina's darkness once and for all—in these two thoughts Emma had complete faith.

A small knock sounded from Zelena's front door. She placed her coffee mug down on the table and stood, wrapping her robe tightly around her before opening the door. There stood Henry, looking just a little tired, but hopeful, and in his arm he carried a storybook.

"Henry," she greeted.

"Morning Zelena," he greeted in return. "Can I see my moms?"

"Sure, come on in," she replied. "Just do try to me quiet dear," she added, "Robin's miraculously still asleep and I wouldn't mind it staying that way for now."

"All right," the boy agreed with a smile.

He entered the home and crept quietly down the hall. He reached the room and opened the door with a slight creek. He could see Regina slouched in the chair next to Emma, facing away from him.

"Mom?" he called out softly. No response came, so he closed the door quietly behind him and walked across the room.

The sight before him stunned him. His brunette mother was lounged awkwardly in the chair, fast asleep, but she still held Emma's hand in her own. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it. He knew they were friends, after all, but this seemed out of character for his mother. She hadn't even been overly physically affectionate with Robin Hood.

 _Maybe she feels guilty,_ he considered with a frown. But the longer he took in the scene, the more a smile grew across his face. Regardless of what exactly was going on, it warmed his heart to see his mother care so much for his other mother.

He shifted the book he carried to carry it beneath his other arm and placed his hand gently on Regina's shoulder. "Mom," he called out again, still barely more than a whisper. Emma certainly wouldn't wake up, even if he shouted, but he remembered that Little Robin was asleep just across the hall.

 _Emma?_ Regina's eyes fluttered slowly open, and the extent of her fatigue grew more apparent. She was missing her usual regal air and instead looked somewhat haggard, with dark circles beneath her eyes and a worried expression. Her eyes slowly focused and she realized where she was. She quickly glanced over at the sleeping sheriff to see if she was all right, wondering if it had all just been a dream.

"Henry?" she asked, her sleepy brain finally realizing who it was that had drawn her from sleep. She sat up, feeling the strained muscles in her back, and realized she was still holding on to Emma's hand. She felt the heat rise to her face and let go. Her hair was a mess, and hung around her face, but she made no move to fix it. Instead, she hid her face behind it like a curtain, not wanting her son to see her embarrassment.

Henry narrowed his eyes in his usual look of confusion, but said nothing about it. He knew his mother too well, and realized she probably felt vulnerable at having been seen as such. Instead, he moved forward with the conversation, willingly letting the scene go undiscussed.

"Good morning, Mom," he greeted with a smile, and once she felt her blush fade she turned and returned the smile.

"Good morning, Henry," she yawned. "Where's the rest of the Charming entourage?"

Henry made his way around the bed and sat on the opposite side. "They'll be here soon," he answered. He placed the big book in his lap.

Regina looked across the bed at him, taking in the sight. The boy was growing up so quickly, and she was proud of the young man he was becoming. But today, he appeared worn down, despite his cheerful demeanor. Sure, he was likely very worried about his cursed mother, but there was more to it than that.

"You seem tired, Henry," Regina said, her tone not disguising her worry. "Did you not sleep well?"

Henry shrugged. "I slept all right."

Regina raised a brow but changed the topic. "Is that a new book you're holding?"

Henry sighed, dejected. "Yeah, I've been trying to find out something, anything, but I haven't found anything yet."

Regina wanted to scold the boy for having stayed up the previous night looking through his books, as she now realized he had done, but the boy looked so hopeless that she simply let it go.

"Don't worry, Henry," she said, leaning forward to get his attention. He looked up at her. "We'll figure out something," she said confidently, "I promise." The truth was, she had no idea where to even begin, but the fact that dream-Emma had such faith in her renewed her confidence. She _would_ save her friend.

Henry gave a weak smile, his mother's courage giving him courage as well. "I know," he said. "Grandpa and grandma should be here soon," he informed.

"All right," she said. Her tired mind drifted off, thinking about how strange their family was. It was so strange to hear Henry call the Charmings his grandparents, considering they were even younger than Regina was, and Snow was her step-daughter. It was all very strange. The curse she had first enacted had really made an interesting situation for them all.

 _And to think, the daughter of my step-daughter—my former enemy, is now my best friend,_ she thought. _And she's barely even younger than me_ , was an afterthought.

It was a strange situation indeed, but she was happy to call them all her family and friends now. As Henry sat across the bed, reading through his book, Regina watched Emma sleep. She felt drawn in by those steady breaths, finding herself matching her breathing to the sleeping blonde's. Emma looked so helpless, so vulnerable, that it ignited something surprising in Regina, a fierce need and desire to protect her friend. She had been protective of her new friends for a while now, of course, having taken up the mantle of a hero, _or having tried to, at least_ , but this was different. As she watched over Emma she realized that this protectiveness was as strong as it was any time Henry was in danger. It was a fire within her, and a pang in her heart.

Unbeknownst to Regina, Henry had been subtly keeping an eye on his mother as he looked through his book. He was intrigued by the expression on her face. It was pained, and worried, and scared. It was open—vulnerable. He knew Regina cared about his other mother, but this was new. The extent that Regina seemed to be caring for Emma in this moment mirrored the looks he had seen her giving him time after time, and his adoptive mother cared more about Henry than anything else in the world.

There were even tears in her eyes and she made no move to wipe them away.

"Regina, Henry, good morning," greeted Snow White as she entered the room with soft footsteps. With an infant of her own, she and Charming knew how to be quiet, and thus the two in the room hadn't even heard them coming.

Regina started, realizing she had been staring at Emma, and wiped her eyes. Clearing her throat, she responded, "Hello Snow, Charming."

As they walked around the bed to stand by Henry, Snow noticed the pile of blankets and pillows sitting on the couch, seemingly untouched. She looked over at Regina and was surprised at how worn down the other woman looked. _Did she sit there all night?_ she wondered.

"Where's Neal?" Henry asked, noticing the little prince was missing.

"We took the little guy to stay with the fairies," Charming answered. "We figured he'd be safe there, and this way we can focus on helping our daughter."

"And Hook?" Henry questioned.

Snow caught Regina's eyes and they quickly looked away. Even Regina felt bad for the pirate. She, admittedly, hadn't been pleased to see the pirate return—it simply hadn't seemed fair when she had lost Robin. But…this almost seemed worse somehow, to return and discover that he and Emma weren't true loves after all.

"He…" Snow paused, "Well, he went to talk to Mr. Gold, to see if he had any ideas. Belle's under the sleeping curse as well, and Hyde apparently gave him some information to wake her up."

Regina sighed. None of them really trusted the pawn shop owner, but they were desperate for anything that could help. Not only did they all care for Emma, but they needed her to defeat their newest enemies.

"Let's hope the imp is willing to share his information," Regina groaned. She was tired and irritated, and feeling unsure of herself and the new intensity of her feelings towards the sheriff. She couldn't figure them out, and that left her feeling frazzled. She was a woman who liked control, and nothing in her life felt in control at that moment.

As if on cue, there was a loud knock at the door. Soon after, Zelena's venomous voice rang out through the house. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Those in the room with Emma listened carefully, feeling uneasy, wondering who could be at the door.

"I'm here to talk to the heroes of Storybook, dearie," replied the calm, controlling voice of Mr. Gold. "That is, the people who have been heroes for more one little adventure," he taunted.

Zelena growled, but relented. "There down the hall," she snapped, and as the noise of Gold's cane against the floor drew closer, they heard one last sharp remark from Zelena. "You brought the imp to my home, pirate?"

"Aye, love," Hook responded. "I'm sorry, but he has information that may help us."

Zelena's sigh could be heard even by those down the hall in Emma's room. Soon, both Gold and Hook walked through the door.

Before anyone could say a word, Mr. Gold jumped straight to his point.

"I would like to make a deal."

 **A/N: Remember: fave, follow, and review! Thanks for reading.**


	6. Episode 6: The Cobbled Land

EPISODE 6: THE COBBLED LAND

"Welcome, my dear Queen, to my world," Mr. Hyde gestured to the buildings around them and held out his arm for his companion.

The Evil Queen looked around, sizing up the mismatched buildings and people with a critical eye. "Interesting…" she drawled before taking the arm of her host. "And you wish to bring this land to the Land Without Magic? Why?"

Hyde led the Evil Queen through the streets and towards his manor on the outskirts of the town. "I own Storybrooke now," he explained, to which his companion scowled—it was her town in her mind—it only existed because of her curse. The man did not notice or paid no mind, but simply continued speaking. "And I wish to rule over this land as well. If I bring this land to Storybrooke, I will be the one who rules over these people. I will be King."

He gave a wide, fearsome smile, and despite her dislike of the man for wanting to rule _her_ town, the Evil Queen found his hunger for power intoxicating. In him she saw a kindred spirit—perhaps this arrangement between them could work. Perhaps she could rule alongside him, finally finding the power she craved without suffering the loneliness that came with it.

"So how do you plan to merge this world with Storybrooke?" she asked with a slight sneer.

"Ah, my dear Queen, that is where you come in. You cast such a curse once, did you not? I believe that together we can do it once again, with a few modifications. You'll need to tell me everything, to make sure, but I believe there are just a few magical items we'll need to make it work. Most of them," he explained, "we can find right here. But there is one, the most important of all, that resides in another land all together."

"Oh?" she asked with raised brows. "And how do you intend to fetch that item then?"

They had reached the manor at last, and Hyde opened the door for his new friend. "Don't you worry," he assured her as he entered the manor behind her, "I've already taken care of it." He shut the door behind them and together they began their planning.

* * *

"A deal?" Snow asked, wondering what Rumpelstiltskin could possibly want from them. She and everyone else in the room eyed him curiously, except for the pirate, who had entered further in the room and now spent his time glancing from Emma to the floor.

"Indeed," Mr. Gold responded. "I'm going to be going on a little trip," he said nonchalantly, "but there is also something I need done here. Even I can't be in two places, and that, dearies, is where you come in." He gestured around, a bit more Rumpelstiltskin in that moment than Mr. Gold.

"Just spit it out already," Regina mumbled, too tired to feign patience with the impudent man.

With a sidelong glance at the sullen brunette, he continued. "You see," he began with a sigh, "this Mr. Hyde has my Belle, and I want her back, but I have already made a deal with him that ties my hands in the matter."

"You made a deal that prevents you from saving your wife?" Charming asked, making no effort to hide his disgust.

Mr. Gold narrowed his eyes at the man. "I made a deal to learn another way to break the curse, and part of that deal entails I complete this portion before he will give her back to me" he added calmly, but there was an anger, and a fear in his eyes.

"Do you really believe he knows how to break the curse without true love's kiss?" Snow asked.

Mr. Gold paused for a moment. "I cannot be sure," he admitted. "But it's all I have."

The desperation began to show in his voice. If he was trusting this strange man with so little proof, he truly had run out of options.

"Then I'm coming with you," Hook suddenly spoke up from the back of the room, startling the others.

"I think not," came Gold's quick reply.

"Aye, crocodile, I will. I want to make sure you succeed, because we need whatever you're going to get, too," he glanced at the woman asleep on the bed. This was the truth, but not the entire truth—he also wanted to take some sort of action, anything, to make himself feel useful since his kiss had failed. He wanted to find some way to redeem himself, if only partially.

Mr. Gold looked at Emma as well, and, having been too preoccupied with Belle to have noticed before, suddenly realized what it meant that Emma still slept.

"Oh," said Gold, barely hiding a bit of giddiness. "I see. Well, you can tag along, I suppose, if the others promise to rescue my Belle from that monster's hands."

Regina and Snow exchanged glances, silently agreeing to the proposal.

"Deal," said Snow, "we'll rescue Belle." In truth, she didn't need much pushing in this direction—Belle was her friend, and had helped them many times.

"Where can we find her?" Charming asked.

"Regina's office," answered Gold simply. "It seems that both that this Mr. Hyde and our own Evil Queen have taken to calling the place their home," he said, " _together_."

Regina's stomach lurched at the thought. What was her evil self doing with that monstrous man? Were they simply teamed up in their evil deeds…or something else? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good, but Regina felt ill at the thought of what her other self might be doing.

She remembered her time as the Evil Queen, and she had been a ravenous woman. That hadn't really changed, in truth, but as the Queen she had simply taken what she wanted, any man or woman that struck her fancy in that moment. It had never been hard—she had her own seductive powers and they had never had never failed her. After Daniel, sex had become nothing special—just something to satisfy a need, and if she felt the need, she found someone to satisfy it. Now, as simply Regina, she found herself desperately hoping that the Evil Queen wasn't doing just that.

She shuddered, much to Gold's amusement. Even Charming and Snow looked ill at the thought. Henry wasn't entirely sure what was being implied, but he was old enough now to make a guess, and the idea of his mother and that man was enough to make his head spin. He tried desperately hard not to think about it.

Hook, on the other hand, simply didn't care. He only cared about Emma, and would do anything he could to wake her, even if it meant teaming up with a man he absolutely despised, a man he had spent a lifetime hunting with every intent to kill.

"All right you bloody crocodile," the pirate sneered, "where are we going?"

"Well," Gold began, tapping his cane against the palm of his hand, "you might've heard of it—it's a far-away place known as…Agrabah."

* * *

The Evil Queen was lounging across a small couch in Mr. Hyde's office, her dark gown hugging her every curve. Her bare legs rested leisurely across the cushions, and the man's eyes upon her body had not gone unnoticed by the Queen. She held a glass of apple whine in her hand and brought it to her lips, watching with a smile as the man stared at her lips upon the glass.

"What do you think?" he asked. He had just finished explaining his plan, and wanted to know if his theory on the magic and his curse was sound. Who better to have at his side than the Evil Queen herself, a master of curses in her own right.

"I believe it should work," she said with a sly smile. "It's quite brilliant, actually. And you say we can get two of the three magical staves right here in this bizarre cobbled-together world of yours?"

Mr. Hyde laughed, the sound low and frightening, but so thrilling to the Queen. "Yes, indeed," he drawled.

"How does that work?" she questioned. "How would Maleficent's staff had ended up here of all places?" She placed her wine glass down upon the table and laid herself further back upon the couch.

Hyde's eyes roamed the Evil Queen's body, and he made no effort to hide the look of hunger that was growing in his eyes. He licked his lips.

"This world," he began, "this Land Without Color, it's a strange place. It's a place where forgotten stories end up, and forgotten and lost elements of those stories as well. There's a crazy man in town who found the staff nearly a year ago, and I've kept tabs on him in case I ever found myself in need of such an item.

"And this other staff?" The Queen questioned, "Rafiki's staff? Isn't that that monkey from the Lion King?"

Mr. Hyde chuckled in his low, gravely tone. "I can't say I know what you are talking about, but Rafiki certainly wasn't a monkey. He was a great shaman and advisor to a powerful line of kings in some distant land.

That certainly wasn't the story the Evil Queen knew from her time in the Land Without Magic, but that hardly surprised her. After all, her own story was quite different than the ones she had found. For one, she was far more beautiful, and two, far, far more evil.

"And the third staff?" she questioned.

"The staff of a terrible mage named Jafar," Hyde answered in a drawl. "Or, it was. Now it's his prison. The fool made a wish to become a genie, and now he is tied to his staff for all eternity, a simple tool for anyone who wields it." The man chuckled. "I've sent the Dark One to run that errand, although he's under the impression that he needs the staff to wake his sleeping wife."

"Cunning," the Queen admitted. This was yet another story that Disney hadn't gotten quite right. It suddenly struck her as strange that she had never really asked Mr. Glass about his history as a Genie after she had watched _Aladdin_ with Henry. The Evil Queen felt a strange pull in her heart as she remembered the boy, but she quickly pushed it away.

One thing that the stories about Snow White and the Evil Queen had gotten right was that she wasn't weak—not some pathetic woman who would let herself fall in love with some child or some thief. No, she was a woman of power, and as such needed either someone to obey her, or…another person of power to be her equal.

She eyed the man who stood a short ways away, leaning casually against a desk. He was handsome, but also sort of wild, as if this tame exterior was nothing more than a façade. Somehow, this added to his allure. She could feel the wrath that radiated just beneath the man's surface, an exciting unbridled rage.

He caught her gaze and gave her a smile, a truly fearsome visage.

 _Now this man_ , she thought. _He might be something. Perhaps I'll have some fun and play along. We'll either rule over this land together, and if he turns out to be a bore, well, I'll just get rid of him myself._ She found herself smiling.

"So, Mr. King," she began in a sultry tone. She ran her hand down her side as she spoke. "Do we need to get started right away, or…do we have some time to spare?"

He stood, cocking a half smile and straightening his tie. "I could make some time," he said smoothly. "What do you have in mind, my Queen?"

She gave her own cocky half smile and beckoned him with a single finger. She had some ideas that could take up a few hours of their time, if he had the stamina to keep up with her.

Moments later she found herself tossed roughly onto the desk, Hyde's hands quickly tossing off anything that was in the way. Like a hungry animal he was upon her, his hands not-so-gently exploring every in of her, pulling her to him. His teeth were at her neck, nipping and biting, and she loved every minute of it, growing more excited with each new wave of pain.

It wasn't long before her tight gown was gone, tossed to the side, to be joined seconds later by the man's shirt and tie.

She grabbed the hem of his pants and yanked him closer, quickly undoing the button and tearing them and his underpants down. He kicked them away. She looked him over and sized him up as if to judge his worth, and he stood there patiently, his confidence never wavering.

Finally, she made her judgment with a sly, lustful smile. She grabbed onto his manhood so tightly that it made him close his eyes and groan, both in pain and pleasure, and guided him towards her.

"Prove to me you're worthy of being a king," she purred, more dragon than cat.

He growled and pushed her back. "I am more than worthy," he snarled, he placed his hand around her neck and squeezed lightly, just enough to make the Queen gasp ever-so-slightly. Her eyes rolled back in excitement and a low moan escaped her lips.

He took her there, atop the desk, like some ravenous fiend, feasting upon every inch of her flesh, pounding himself into her with force, over and over. His hand never left her throat, and the closer he came to his release, the tighter he squeezed.

In turn, she tore into his flesh with nails like claws, leaving long red welts along his chest and back. Her breathing grew laborious, made worse by the hand that gripped her throat, and she knew she was too far gone to save herself should he choose to squeeze any harder. But she didn't care—she was too excited by this show of brute force and power that it shot through her like lightning. She dug her claws into his skin, and drew blood, causing the man to grunt and thrust even harder. It wasn't long before the two of them found their release together, leaving them both panting and bruised.

 **Thank you for your continued support. Let me know your thoughts so far, or any interesting ideas you might have. And don't lose hope, this is, ultimately, a SwanQueen fic!**


	7. Episode 7: A Whole New World

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EPISODE 7: A WHOLE NEW WORLD

With the Dark One's power and Zelena's help, a portal was created to take them to Agrabah. With a step through the portal, Hook and Gold were transported to their destination. The pirate coughed on the sand blowing about in the wind as he regained his footing. Mr. Gold, of course, stood stoic with a slight sneer, waiting for the pirate to compose himself.

"Are you quite all right, Pirate?" he asked as he fixed his tie.

"Quite," Hook responded simply, shielding his eyes against the sand. Then, his jaw dropped in shock.

Fantasy lands and mystical adventures weren't exactly new to him, but this was a place far different from any he had seen before. Before them stood an enormous, elegant city, its walls and buildings composed of bright, off-white sandstone. The architecture was a far cry from the Land Without Magic, and just as far from that of the Enchanted Forest, especially what seemed to be the palace. It stood taller than all of the buildings around it, with tall circular spires tipped in elegantly curved golden bulbs. In the bright light of the desert, it was a magnificent sight.

Hook followed Gold through the large main gate and down what appeared to by the city's main road. They could see that further down it led straight through the city to the castle gates. There within the city walls the wind was calm, and the sand stayed beneath their feet.

Both men were very aware of the curious, if not frightened looks of the dark-skinned inhabitants of the city. All around they scurried, to and fro from the various market stalls of the bazaar. Many, likely because of the heat, donned clothing a lot less modest from what the men were used to, and Hook, despite himself, found his eyes wandering across the smooth tanned skin of many of the fairer ladies as they made their way down the path.

"We certainly aren't being subtle," the pirate muttered, just loudly enough for the other man to hear.

Mr. Gold continued his quick pace down the road as he responded. "I've no time for subtleties, Pirate. I'm going to get what I have come for and return to my wife."

Hook sighed and looked around him beneath his brow. "And what makes you think they'll give you what you're hear for?" he asked.

Mr. Gold's shoulder's shook with a silent chuckle. "Do you really think it matters whether or not they willingly part with what I need?"

Hook frowned—of course not. The bloody crocodile would just take it, and chances were, there was nothing that could stand in his way. He hoped that it wouldn't come to that, but had this feeling in his gut that this hope was for naught.

They reached the palace gates and stopped, barred from going any further by enormous doors. A large guard stood on either side of the gate with a wide curved sword tucked into their belts.

"What business have you at the palace?" snarled the guard on the right, peering carefully at the two outsiders from beneath a thick brow.

"I have need to speak with whomever rules over this city," Mr. Gold responded calmly.

 _Good_ , Hook thought. _At least he's trying to do things without jumping straight to violence._

The guard laughed. "And I'm just supposed to let you in, stranger, because you 'have a need'? Who the hell are you, anyway? You certainly aren't from around here." The guard eyed their clothing curiously and gripped the hilt of his sword without drawing the blade.

Hook clenched his jaw tight, worried about there this situation was headed. He was to step in when shouts interrupted him.

"Open the gate!" yelled a man from the other side of the wall.

On their side of the wall, the two guards stepped forward to remove the two men who stood too near. The man they had been speaking to placed his hand on Mr. Gold's chest to push him further back, and Hook just knew that all attempted pleasantries were over—nobody could get away with manhandling the crocodile.

Surprisingly, however, Mr. Gold allowed himself to be pushed to the side and the pirate was pushed alongside him by the second guard. They stood now on the side of the road, watching as the enormous gate doors swung open.

Hook's jaw dropped open at the sight just beyond the gate. There stood a wondrously beautiful woman dressed in sky blue silks and shawls. Beside her on each side stood two more guards, and the guards outside of the gate and all the nearby people bowed low.

"Good day, Sultana," greeted the guard they had been speaking to.

"Sultana?" questioned the Pirate quietly. Suddenly a hang yanked him into a bow too, and he was surprised to see it was Mr. Gold, and the man himself was also bent forward in respect.

Gold whispered a snappy retort: "Are you really surprised to see a woman in charge?"

Hook thought about all of the women he knew: Regina, a queen; Snow White, a queen; Emma, a princess and Savior; Zelena, a powerful witch, and so many more women, powerful warriors in their own right. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he inferior he felt, not just for himself, but for all the men of Storybrooke. Sure, they were heroic, too, but it seemed as though the women overshadowed then in one way or another.

But it wasn't that he was surprised to see a woman leader because he couldn't imagine such a thing, it was because he hadn't noticed any women who really seemed in charge as they had walked through the bazaar. Nearly all of the stall owners had been men, and all of the guards he had seen so far were men. Nevertheless, he was humbled by the mistake of his assumption.

He lifted his head just enough to peer at the woman once more, drawn into her deep, dazzling dark eyes. As she walked through the gate with her small protective entourage, she caught sight of the pirate's gaze. Immediately, he looked back towards the ground with a slight flush.

"Strangers," she called greeted in a low and sultry voice, and Mr. Gold stood back up, followed shortly after by Hook.

"Sultana," Mr. Gold greeted in return.

She eyed them with a furrowed brow, trying to figure them out. She had never seen anyone with such strange clothing before.

"Who might you be, and what brings you to Agrabah?" she questioned with authority.

Hook was curious too, for he really didn't know what exactly they were here for. He turned his head slightly to watch Gold as he answered.

"My name is Mr. Gold," he answered, "and my associate here is..."

"Killian. Killian Jones," the pirate interrupted. He did not wish to be introduced as Hook or anything else Gold might have said.

"Right," Gold continued. "I have need of a powerful item that I believe to be in your custody," he explained in his usually greasy drawl.

The woman raised a brow and shifted her weight to her left foot. "And what might that be?" she questioned.

"The staff of Jafar," the imp answered simply. He stood still, his expression blank, as he waited for his response.

Hook had no clue what that meant, or how the Dark One knew about the item, but he was not surprised by any means. He simply let Gold lead the conversation, standing by quietly.

At this response the woman narrowed her eyes and her expression grew dark. For a moment, she was quiet in her thoughts, her jaw held tight. Finally, she answered, her voice edged with anger. "I don't know who you are," she began, "but you are not welcome here. There are no possible reasons for which to need that evil tool that are not evil themselves, and no man would want the staff who he himself was not evil."

The pirate looked over at Gold in shock. "I thought we were here to get something to free Belle from her curse?" he questioned, incredulous. Had this entire plan been yet another of the Dark One's dark schemes?

"We are," Gold snapped. He calmed himself once again. "We are," he repeated. "Please," there was a hint of desperation in the word that surprised the pirate, "I have no nefarious schemes. I simply need the staff for its magic to wake my wife from a sleeping curse."

"A sleeping curse, huh?" came a new voice from behind the Sultana and her crew, followed by the noises, best described as screeches, of some animal. A man with a small monkey on his shoulder slipped through the guards and stepped next to the woman.

He was a toned and handsome man with thick lips, a large nose, and dark eyes. His blue vest showed off the muscles of his tanned chest and stomach, and his face was framed by unruly dark locks. The monkey on his shoulder wore a similar vest as well, and a tiny red fez. The monkey, more than the man, looked over the strangers with a suspicious eye.

"Sounds serious," he added, before kissing the woman on the cheek, much to Hook's surprise. He certainly seemed to be below the woman's status, judging by his appearance.

"Aladdin," she greeted the man with a cheery lilt in her voice. The name sounded familiar as the title to one of those Disney movies Henry had tried to get him to watch once.

"Jasmine," he returned. "What's going on?"

"These strange men claim they need Jafar's staff to wake this man's wife from a sleeping curse," she answered, looking back over the newcomers. "But we couldn't possibly give them the staff—it's dangerous."

Aladdin rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. "I'd risk it for you, Princess," he confessed, "I'm sure he must be feeling pretty desperate to come to a far away land looking for something to break a curse. I say we help him out."

Jasmine sighed and peered at Aladdin with thoughtful eyes. "I suppose you are right. I was about to take a stroll through the market," she added, turning back to the newcomers, "but this seems more important. Come, join us at the palace to continue our conversation."

Mr. Gold bowed. "Thank you," he said, before they all took off back towards the palace.

The two of them followed after Jasmine and Aladdin, with Hook following right on Aladdin's heels. The monkey kept his eyes on the two of them, and the pirate found the little creature interesting. He reached out, making to pet the little fellow, but the monkey began to screech, slapping his hand away.

"All right, all right," the pirate took back his hand and took a step backwards.

Aladdin laughed, glancing over his shoulder. "Abu," he scolded with a smile, "be nice to our guests."

Abu pouted, crossing his arms over his little chest, and continued to watch the men warily, especially Mr. Gold.

They guided the men through the palace's main entry, a large, magnificent room that had Hook in awe. It's bright, white and gold interior was at once awe inspiring and welcoming. They were led through the entry through the large doors to the throne room, where Jasmine took a seat upon the throne, and Aladdin sat nearby on the steps, smiling happily.

"I would like to help you," Jasmine said with an authoritative, yet welcoming tone, as she crossed her legs, "but the fact of the matter is that we do not have the staff to give to you."

Hook could feel Mr. Gold as he seethed next to him, and his muscles tensed, waiting for the cue to stop in and step the man if need be.

"Then where might we find it?" Gold asked, barely masking the rage he currently felt, managing, just barely, to keep up the pleasant façade.

This time, Aladdin answered. "We've locked it away in the Cave of Wonders," he said, cocking a half smile at the two men. "And it's no easy task to get in there," he added, "or back out, for that matter."

Hook figured it was about time to make his presence known instead of following the crocodile around like some silent slave. "Well then," he said, "how might we find this cave?"

Aladdin stood, almost knocking Abu off of his shoulder with the sudden movement. "For that," he said, clapping the pirate on the shoulder, "you'll need my help."

Hook flashed the man a quick smile in appreciation of the offer, and was about to voice his thanks when the Sultana spoke once more.

"There is one thing you must know before I will allow you to undertake this quest," she said with a solemn tone.

"And what might that be, dearie?" Gold asked.

"I said that this staff is dangerous for a reason, for it not only belonged to Jafar, but now serves as his prison.

"How is a staff someone's prison?" Hook asked without thought.

"When he was trying to take over Agrabah," Aladdin said, "Jafar made a wish on a genie for ultimate power, and when the Genie could not grant that wish, he wished instead to become a genie himself."

"It would seem," added Sultana Jasmine, "that he was so desperate for power that he hadn't considered that genies are slaves, and now he is held captive in the staff he once wielded."

Hook frowned at the idea. He was loath to have yet another evil being to contend with—they had quite a few on their hands already, including the fiend that stood beside him. He glanced over at the crocodile, trying to glean whether or not the man's intentions were truly as they said, but as usual, his face was steeled in an emotionless gaze.

 _But,_ thought the pirate, _surely he wouldn't have left Belle behind unless he truly was on to something._ He was none too happy about having to trust in the Dark One, but he could not see any other way. If Gold's intentions were as he said, then he needed this too, to wake Emma.

"We understand the risks," said Hook, referring to both the staff and the risky partnership he had with the man he considered his mortal nemesis.

"All right," said Aladdin, "then we're off to the Cave of Wonders." Abu agreed in his little monkey screeches, taking up a confident pose.


	8. Episode 8: The Wicked Sisters

EPISODE 8: THE WICKED SISTERS

Regina had grown claustrophobic in a room full of Charmings, particularly so because of how uncertain she was feeling after the dream, if it had even better a dream. So, she had excused herself to prepare for the day, and was about to magic herself back to her manor to do so, when her reasoning kicked in and she realized she shouldn't leave Henry or the others here without her, even if Zelena was there.

It was weak reason, and she knew it, but she did not dwell on it. After all, she had allowed them to go off the night before without her. It was fear that had led her to showering in Zelena's smaller and less fanciful bathroom instead of back in her own, much nicer one.

She stood with her forehead on the cool tile of the shower wall as the hot water streamed down her back. She had been so preoccupied with Emma's curse, that she hadn't fully considered what it meant that the Evil Queen, her darkness, was free from her control. She thought back to her darker times with a nauseating clench in her gut, remembering how easily and quickly she was to crush the heart of any who so much as irritated her, and she had relished it.

Everyone she cared about was in terrible danger. She hissed at the chill of fear that slithered up her spine despite the warm water cascading down. It wasn't necessarily new, to feel afraid of herself, but now the threat was so much worse now that she had released that evil from her control.

She grit her teeth and hated herself for her weakness, for not being able to handle the darkness she had cultivated and harbored within herself—that Rumple and her mother had cultivated. She was ashamed, too, for the fear she felt, and acknowledged that this was the same fear her subjects had felt all their lives beneath her rule, as though they were bugs who could be squashed any time their Queen threw a fit.

There was a part of her that wanted to cry, but she knew that would accomplish nothing. The Evil Queen knew had called her weak, but she had learned enough from Emma and her insufferable family to know that love didn't make her weak. No, somehow they would make it through all of this if they worked together.

A part of her truly believed this, but there was still a small tremor fear that she couldn't shake that seemed to think there was simply no way they would all be able to escape with their lives. She knew that darkness too intimately to hope for such a thing. _This is all my fault_ , she thought, repeating the same belief that echoed in her mind constantly. But sitting here feeling sorry for herself would accomplish nothing—she needed to be strong to protect her family.

She set to actually washing herself up, aware of the thin layer of sweat she had accrued over the previous day and her restless night. She wondered, in the back of her mind, if it had anything to do with the blazing heat of Emma's nightmare, but still didn't know how to process everything that was going on with the Savior—if there was anything going on at all.

A part of her hoped there was nothing, because that was less complicated and thus easier to deal with. However, that meant she was imaging things, warmth where it didn't exist, dreams with Emma, and that was an unpleasant thought. Was she going mad?

Another part of her hoped that there was something, but that was a whole other story. She didn't even want to begin thinking about what any of these happenings meant, let alone what it meant that a part of her wanted there to be something to mean something in the first place.

She groaned at her own twisted and convoluted process of thought as she began lathering her hair, rubbing at her temples in the process. She simply couldn't handle whatever was, or wasn't, happening with Emma right now. She had to take care of the more immediate dangers that faced them.

* * *

Back in the room, Snow, Charming, and Henry were discussing possible plans for rescuing Belle from the grasp of Mr. Hyde and the Evil Queen, but weren't having much luck in the matter since they all knew just how dangerous either one of them was on their own. Henry knew the mayor's office better than any of them, but really they needed Regina's advice on the matter, as she knew both herself and the office better than any of them.

Zelena sat at her kitchen table with Little Robin, wondering how the planning process was going. She wanted to go and help the others, but she still did not feel welcome. Until very recently, they had been enemies, so unless they explicitly invited her along, she would leave them be. She envied Regina for her close relationship to the heroes, and for the way in which she had managed to redeem herself, and felt for the first time that perhaps she really could find such a life for herself, now that she had Regina at her side.

Those in the room had given up planning until Regina returned, so there conversation had devolved into trying to come up with a name for the new operation.

"How about Operation Bear?" Charming suggested as he leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees, and linked his fingers together.

Even Snow wrinkled her nose at the name.

"No offense Grandpa," Henry began with a smile, "but that's sort of a boring name. It… needs more syllables."

Charming laughed. "More syllables, of course. I should have known. I just thought maybe, you know, because she's sleeping…like hibernation?" He tossed up his hands in defeat, feeling a little foolish.

Snow smiled slightly at him, too worried about her daughter to be fully invested in the mirth, but still appreciative of their attempts to keep things light.

"Operation Sleeping Beauty?" she suggested softly, trying to make a play off of the meaning of her name.

It was David's turn to turn up his nose, but mostly to get back at his wife.

"That's already taken by another princess, as you know," Henry responded, and Snow just smiled and shrugged. Henry thought it over for a bit, trying to think up the perfect name.

"How about, Operation Canary?" he asked at last.

"Canary?" asked Regina from the doorway, and the others turned to look at the source of the sudden new participant in the conversation.

David quickly looked back away, focusing his attention to Emma, but Snow held her look for a moment, her breath hitched in her throat. She had to consciously stop herself from saying 'wow…' out loud.

Regina stood in the doorway in a pair of her sister's tight jeans and a dark tank top. Her raven tresses were still damp, and were combed back, giving Regina a much more wild look than the others had ever seen on the usually rather formal mayor. She was dressed more like Emma than the mayor, but the look suited her, in a strange way.

Snow looked back away, checking on Charming's gaze just to be sure. Charming, for his part, made sure not to look back towards the woman in the doorway, ever aware of his fondness for stubborn and feisty brunettes.

"Mom," Henry greeted, paying little attention to his mother's wardrobe change. "What do you think of the name?"

"I think it's perfect, Henry," she responded with a smile as she patted her hair with a towel. She felt a bit exposed, so underdressed, but she hadn't brought any clothes with her and was eager to develop a plan. She was beginning to feel too stagnant, like she needed to take action of some sort. So there she stood, still damp from her shower and less covered than she would like, so that they could settle on a plan and get to work.

"So Regina," began Snow, clearing her throat, "we're having a hard time thinking up a plan and were hoping you had some ideas."

"Well," Regina walked across the wooden floor to properly join the others, "to be honest, you guys are the big planners. I was usually pretty direct, not always, but usually." She thought it over for a moment. "I say we just charge in, catch them off guard. They are powerful, but there are only two of them. If we go in prepared, we should be all right." _I should be able to protect you long enough for us to get Belle and make our escape._

"Sounds like a plan, Mom," piped Henry, making his way to his feet.

"Not you," she said, a bit too abruptly. She immediately regretted it when she saw the look on his face. "Henry, I know you want to help, and I know that you could, but I just can't risk losing you."

She cast a quick glance at Emma and Henry saw something, he wasn't quite sure what, flicker across her eyes. He could see that his mother was worried, even more-so than usual, likely because the enemy this time was herself.

For once, he chose not to be difficult. "All right," he said, surprising them all. "I'll stay here and look after Mom."

Both Regina and Snow cast a thoughtful gaze on the sleeping sheriff. Snow opened her mouth to speak, but Regina beat her to it.

"Now that I think about it," she said, turning her gaze back to the Charmings, "I don't think it'd be a good idea to leave Emma without as much protection as we can afford."

Snow nodded. Regina was thinking along the same lines as she. "But at the same time," she added, "we'll need all the power we can muster to face off against the Evil Queen to save Belle."

It was Regina's turn to nod. "Indeed," she said. She thought for a moment longer. "I propose that you three stay with Emma, and Zelena and I will go rescue Belle, that is, if she is willing to help out."

"Of course I am, Regina," Zelena said with a smile from where she stood in the doorway. She had just been headed back through the hall after changing Robin in the room they shared. "I want to help," she added. She was pleased that there was a chance for her to start proving herself even further, and that her sister wanted her help.

"Thank you, Zelena," Regina said with a smile of her own. She was glad to have her sister back in her life like this instead of as enemies.

"What about Little Robin?" Zelena asked, rocking the baby in her arms.

"We could watch her," Snow piped up, always eager to help, especially if it involved children. Charming was less sure, not because he didn't want to help or even because he still didn't quite trust Zelena, but because they had already given their son up for better protection, so this didn't seem quite logical to him, not that he'd say much if that is what the women wanted.

Luckily, Regina was thinking along similar lines. "I think it may be better for Robbie to join Neal with the fairies, and then the two of us can erect a barrier to further protect the children. We can leave one up around here, too, before we leave."

Both Snow and Zelena smiled widely at the suggestion, happy for even better protection being offered to their infants.

"Sounds good," David conceded, taking the opportunity to speak up.

"All right then," Regina said, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "Be safe," she muttered, feeling a little strange saying such a thing to the Charmings. Even if things had changed drastically between them over the years, this was still pretty new to her. "Keep Emma safe," she added, feeling even more out of place. She fought a light blush that threatened to surface and steeled her expression.

"We'd better be going."

"Come back soon Mom," Henry spurted hastily, pulling his mother into a tight hug.

"I will Henry," she promised.

"Stay safe, Regina, Zelena," Snow mirrored.

Regina gave a curt nod and left the room with Zelena on her heels. Just outside of the home, they took a moment to resurrect a barrier together that covered the circumference of Zelena's house in the woods. The Evil Queen, Regina was sure, would have no problem breaking through a barrier if it was just her taking part in the construction, but she was sure that if she and her sister worked together, it would be far too strong for her other self.

* * *

Once Little Robin was deposited with the fairies and they had constructed another barrier there, they made their way to what had up until recently been Regina's office.

It wasn't the longest drive, but even though their friendly relationship was still rather new, Zelena wasted no time in bringing up something she felt was her sisterly duty to address. Even so, she still felt hesitant to do so, because she knew how guarded Regina often was.

"Regina," she began slowly, unsure of the wording to use.

"Yes, Zelena?" her sister questioned, not once removing her eyes from the road.

Zelena watched her sister carefully with inquisitive emerald eyes. She would just be blunt, she thought, as they often were with one another. If Regina got defensive, or offensive, which was often Regina's form of being defensive, Zelena was more than capable of handling it.

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" questioned the former Wicked Witch. She cursed herself—this was not the confident bluntness she had just told herself she would use.

Regina raised a brow but kept her eyes on the road. "Not that I can think of," she responded, wondering what her sister was getting at.

Zelena sighed. "About the Savior?" she questioned further.

Regina stiffened, but steeled her expression. Did Zelena know something? "What are you going on about?" she asked, trying to instill her usual edge into the words.

"I just wondered if maybe there was something you might want to talk about, about you and the Savior," Zelena added, forcing herself to maintain her gaze on her sister, trying to gauge her reaction. She was still unaccustomed to dealing with other people so intimately, but still, she felt as though she understood her sister better than most.

Regina clenched her jaw and didn't respond for a moment. They were almost there, and if she could stall, maybe the conversation would just go away.

"There is nothing going on between Miss Swan and I," she said coolly.

Zelena gave a small frustrated growl. Regina didn't make things easy. _Fine,_ she thought, _it's time to stop playing so nicely_. "Then why were you holding her hand this morning?" she asked in her own cool tone.

Despite all attempts at controlling it, Regina flushed, and then sputtered. "Y-you saw that?" she asked. She scolded herself for her wonderful eloquence. Worst of all, she hadn't had the words to deny it, or explain that it meant nothing, and that worried Regina. She had already made up her mind not to think about any of this, and yet here Zelena was prodding her about it.

Zelena nodded. "Mhm. Listen, Gina," she said. "Maybe I'm just reading into this too much. That's entirely possible, but it just seems to me like you of all people wouldn't be holding the Savior's hand like that for a simple reason. And I can't say I understand it, exactly. After all, the woman was born to be the one to break your curse—to break you."

Regina gulped hard, unsure of what she was feeling or where Zelena was going with all this.

"But things didn't turn out the way people expected. She didn't sweep into town, breaking your curse and then killing you. Instead, she made you her friend, and helped you fight your darkness. Maybe that was what was meant to happen all along, I don't know. I'm new to all this heroism stuff. But…"

Regina allowed herself to glance over at her sister to examine her expression. Zelena was looking at her with soft emerald eyes, and the expression alone both put Regina at ease and made her feel far too open.

"All I'm trying to say," Zelena tried to find the words to end her rant, "is that maybe the Savior is meant to be more to you. The light to your dark, to chase away your darkness. So, like I said…maybe I'm reading far too much into what I saw, but if not…" she finally turned away from her sister to watch out the window, and Regina let out a breath of air, "just know that you have my support. For…anything."

Regina's breathing was labored and her vision began to swim with tears, but she held them back. She still wasn't sure herself what she felt towards the blonde, she had never allowed herself to think about anything along this line before. She had just held her hand one night, out of guilt, right? She wasn't sure.

Either way, it was nice knowing she had her sister's support, and some of the things she said made a lot of sense to her—things she hadn't considered. Was Emma meant to be more than just _a_ Savior? What she meant to be _hers?_

Regina frowned and a tear escaped, sliding down her cheek. Fortunately, it was on the side facing away from her sister.

"What about…what about Robin?" she asked softly. She pulled over and put the vehicle in park—they had arrived. "He was my soulmate." She fought back a sob at the thought of the man she had lost.

Zelena frowned slightly as well, thinking it over. "As you know, I'm new to all of this love business, and my own adventures into the realm didn't turn out very well."

Regina looked over at her sister, gazing at her with sad brown hues. She was being selfish, moping like this when her sister was likely in so much pain.

"I don't believe that soul mates are necessarily the same things as true loves," Zelena continued.

The brunette's throat grew even tighter and her chest clenched around her heart. _Who was talking about true loves?_

"You had Daniel, and you had Robin…"

Regina felt guiltier by the minute. She had spent so much time moping about these losses when Zelena had gone most of her life without even a small fraction of what she had had.

"But that doesn't necessarily mean that they were your true loves, right? Soul mates are important, but true loves are magical…" Zelena felt a tear of her own slide down her cheek as she thought of the love she had lost. Hades had been a madman, hell-bent on his power, but for a moment they had shared something pure—magical.

Regina thought over her sister's words, wondering when the other woman had become so wise on the subject. She forced a weak smile. "You could be right," she admitted. "But I don't know…about any of this. I haven't thought about it, and don't have time to."

Zelena flashed a sheepish smile.

"But I am glad you brought it up. Thank you, Zelena." She flashed a genuine smile, a small twinkle in her eyes.

"Right," Zelena nodded, "but now we're here. Shall we get to work?" She forced all this sappy talk from her mind and managed quite the grin at the thought of flexing her magical muscles.

"Yes," Regina agreed. She gave a wicked smile of her own. "Let's."


	9. Episode 9: Operation Canary

EPISODE 9: OPERATION CANARY

Hook, Aladdin, and Gold stood out in the middle of the desert, with two out of the three of them looking rather confused.

"So, Lad, where's this cave? I see nothing but sand and more sand as far as I can see," Hook shielded his eyes with his hand and scanned the horizon around him, feeling both out of place and at home, as if this was a great sand sea and he simply needed a big sand-ship to navigate the new land.

Gold was beginning to look quite impatient with the whole ordeal, and Hook wanted to figure out what was going on before the poor man escorting them found himself on deadly end of Gold's wrath. A part of Hook understood and felt for the man—his wife was under a curse. He was here Belle just as Hook was here for Emma. But at the same time, this was the man that had killed his wife Malilah, Hook's love. The same man that kept going back to the darkness no matter how many chances he had at redemption.

 _Quite honestly_ , Hook thought, _the lass deserves so much better than you._ He looked over the crocodile with barely hidden disdain, but quickly checked himself and faced a different direction.

"Right here," Aladdin answered with a smile, and before Gold could finish opening his mouth to protest, he took a jeweled scarab beetle out from his pocket. "You guys ready?" he asked, but before anyone could actually respond, he split the beetle into two. The two halves flew into the air and landed on the sand before them.

The sand around them began to shift and churn, reminding Hook even more of a great sea. The earth shook, nearly knocking them off of their feet. The sand gathered before them in a great whirlwind, the noise like thunder in their ears, twisting and turning until finally it stopped. The two pieces of the jeweled beetle had become two glowing, fiery eyes for a great beast—the head of a large sandy feline—the Cave of Wonders.

Gold, of course, took it all in stride. Hook was a different story, and as if he wasn't surprised enough, the cave _spoke._

"Who dares disturb my slumber?" it bellowed, its deep voice echoing across the sands.

Despite himself, Hook felt a tinge of fear, and stared at the sandy beast with wide eyes.

Their guide stepped forward. "It is I," he claimed, "Aladdin."

The creature's glowing eyes looked upon the man before it opened its jaw wide to reveal the cave.

"All right," said Aladdin, "let's go."

Hook blinked away his stunned state and followed after the boy with Gold right behind him. First Aladdin hopped over the creature's teeth into the cave, followed by Hook, but when Gold made his attempt, he found he could not—there was some sort of barrier in his way.

The cave growled, threatening to crush them all, and they all jumped back out for fear of their lives. Abu screeched and shook his tiny fist.

"You may not enter," snarled the cave at Mr. Gold. "I open only for a diamond in the rough."

 _Diamond in the rough?_ Hook thought. He wasn't sure what it meant, but it seemed he qualified. Mr. Gold snarled back at the beast, but had to concede. He would await their return at the entrance, ready in case something were to happen upon their return.

The other two men made their way once more into the cave and down the creature's throat.

"Diamond in the rough?" Hook asked aloud.

Aladdin shrugged. "I don't fully understand either," he said. "I was first brought here as a trick by Jafar to find the genie's lamp for him. I guess I somehow qualified."

"Hm," Hook replied.

Aladdin led the way deeper in, holding a glowing torch aloft to help with the increasing darkness. Within, torches were scattered about, the fiery light glinting off piles upon piles of gold and jewels.

Hook looked around with wide eyes as they walked further in, eyeing the treasure around them. His old self would have been in heaven, filling his pockets to the brim, but that wasn't the point of their visit.

"Don't touch anything," Aladdin warned. "That goes for you too, Abu," he added with a quick glare at the monkey. Abu pouted in return, earning a small smile from Hook.

"So Lad," Hook began, growing uneasy with the silence and the awareness that they stood in the belly of a beast, "I don't mean to pry, but you don't exactly seem like royalty. How is it you've ended up with the Sultana?"

Aladdin chuckled and glanced back at the pirate with a smile. "It's a long story," he answered. "You really want to hear it?"

"Aye," Hook nodded. He was curious about the other man. For some reason, he felt a kindred spirit in the lad.

"Well, it started when Jafar tricked me into finding the lamp. He wanted it for himself, but I managed to swipe it, and I wished for the genie to make me a prince so that I could be the prince chosen for Jasmine to marry. I had met her once, you see, when she had escaped from the castle and gone wondering through the market in disguise. There was just something about her, something in her eyes…"

He shook his head. "Anyway, my wish was granted and I was able to meet the princess. We hit it off really well, but eventually my secrets came to life and she learned that I was not who I said I was. I was just a street rat," he said with a sad sigh. "A thief. But I wanted to be so much more. For her."

They headed further down the cave, down some stone stairs.

"In the end," he added, "she saw that in me. She saw me for something more than just a thief, and accepted me for who I was."

Hook's heart had sunk. "I can understand that," he said softly. "I had such a woman in my life as well, one who saw past the pirate and accepted me despite my past."

Aladdin raised a brow, unsure if he should ask the question on his tongue, but in the end, he gave in to his curiosity. "Had?" he asked.

They passed a statue holding an enormous red ruby and Hook stared at in wonder as they passed. "Aye," the pirate answered. "The man's wife is not the only one under a sleeping curse. Emma, the woman who gave me a chance despite my past, she's under a curse as well."

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn't sure why he was opening up to a stranger, but Aladdin seemed like someone who would understand. "True love's kiss can break the curse," he added.

Aladdin was confused for a moment, wondering what the problem was, before it dawned on him. "Oh," he said simply, flashing the pirate a small, understanding frown.

"But she still helped you see that you could be more—something better than you were, right?" Aladdin asked. They were nearing the end of the cave.

Hook thought about it for a moment. "Aye, I suppose so." He gave a small smile. Even if Emma was not his true love, certainly they could still be close friends. She had helped him become something more than a simple pirate, something good—and he had helped her put down the armor she always wore with people. It was bittersweet, but he was glad to have gone through it all nonetheless.

"Don't worry," Aladdin said, returning to his usual optimistic charm, "Your true love is out there somewhere. I'm sure of it." He flashed Hook a wide smile and the pirate could understand how the Sultana had seen something worthwhile in the suave boy.

They had reached the end of the cave and there, up a few stairs, stood a golden staff tipped with the golden head of a viper.

"Is that it?" Hook questioned.

"Yup," Aladdin answered. He stood his ground, however, showing his hesitation and trepidation for the first time.

Hook was concerned, especially if this was going to be in the hands of Rumplestilskin. "Is it truly as dangerous as you say?"

Aladdin nodded. "Jafar was a powerful man on his own, and an evil man. As a genie he is even worse. It was only with luck and the help of my best friend that we managed to seal him away."

"Best friend?"

"Yeah. Genie." Aladdin's face turned to a deep frown.

"What's the matter, Lad?"

"I promised him I would set him free with my final wish," Aladdin answered softly, turning his golden brown eyes to Hook. "But instead, we had to use to wish in order to save our kingdom and seal Jafar away. Genie understood, but I never got over my guilt."

Hook placed a hand on the man's shoulder and gave him a knowing look. "I'm sure he was happy to make that sacrifice for you," he said.

Aladdin nodded. "He was, I know. But still. We at least gave him some freedom to travel," he said, "and after that I never saw him again. I don't even know if he is still alive."

Hook realized something. "He's alive," he said, and the other man's eyes widened in surprised.

"What?"

"He is! He lives in Storybrooke, where we come from, and he's very much alive and well. And," Hook added with a smile, "he's no longer a genie."

Aladdin's grin went from ear-to-ear. "I'm so glad to hear that. Jasmine will be glad to know as well. You hear that Abu?"

The monkey chittered happily and held out his hand to the pirate who gave him an awkward five.

Hook clasped the other man's shoulder one last time before turning back to the staff. "Shall I?" he inquired.

"Go ahead," Aladdin answered. He really didn't want to touch the staff again. He could feel the evil that emanated from its surface and it always made him feel a bit ill with trepidation.

Hook stepped up the stairs and slowly wrapped his hand around the warm golden staff, immediately hit by the immense power he felt from within it—a dark and hungry power. His face paled. No part of him wanted the crocodile to have his hands on something that felt this _evil_ , but he saw no other choice. He would at least try to hold onto it for as long as he could to keep it from the other man's hands, even though holding on to it was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Well," he said in a shaky voice, "I have it. Let's be off."

* * *

Back in Storybrooke, the two sisters walked side-by-side into the town hall with a confident sway in their hips. Each was ready to face Hyde and the Evil Queen, given strength by the woman beside her.

They strode through the building until reached the top floor and found themselves outside of Regina's office. Here, Regina's confidence waned, but only a little, and she steeled her expression to hide any fear.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Ready," her sister answered.

Together, with a burst of magic, they forced open the doors and readied themselves for battle.

But no one was there. From where they stood just outside the door, they peaked around, only to see nothing.

"Well, that's not what I was expecting," Zelena mused.

Regina stepped into the room with a scowl. "Great. Wait." She noticed the strange golden box on her desk, the one that held Belle. "She's here."

Zelena tried to follow but was zapped back. She fell with a shriek.

"What the hell? Zelena, are you all right?" Regina ran back to the door.

"I can't get in," her sister answered, shuffling back to her feet. There was rage in her bright emerald eyes. "Some sort of barrier."

I made it through just fine," Regina pondered.

Zelena slowly reached out with her hand, testing the barrier once more, only to be shocked once again. "Damnit," she cursed. "I don't like this Regina," she said, peering at her sister with worry. "It could be a trap."

Regina looked around, wary. Her sister was right. "But we don't have much of a choice. Pandora's box is just across the room. I'll grab it quick and we can be on our way."

Zelena nodded, but wasn't happy about not being able to be in the room with her sister.

Regina crept slowly across the room, glad she was wearing sensible shoes for a change, even if they felt terribly foreign on her feet. Hesitantly, she reached out and touched the box, certain that something would happen at any moment.

But nothing happened.

"Huh," she mused. She gripped the box and was happy to feel Belle's presence within. "Got it," she said, turning back around and heading towards the door.

This time, it was she that was thrown back by a barrier.

"Gina!" Zelena shouted. It took every bit of self-control not to throw herself at the barrier to get to her sister.

She was thrown back with such force that her head smashed against her desk. With a groan, she felt the back of her skull with her fingers only to pull them away covered in her own sticky blood. She could tell it wasn't so bad that she split her skull open, but she knew it was bad enough to worry.

"I'm all right," Regina mumbled. She stood on shaky legs, gripping the box tightly in her hand. She was about to make her way back towards the door when he looked up and saw Hyde's assistant rushing towards Zelena, who was too distracted with worrying about her to notice.

"Zelena!" she bellowed, but it was too late.

The man struck Zelena in the back of her head with his electric bludgeon. She fell in a slump, her eyes rolling back into her skull, cursing herself in her last moments of consciousness for having fallen so easily.

Regina rushed towards the door, willing her blurring vision to remain steady. "Don't touch her," she shouted, her voice dripping with anger.

The man sneered at Regina. "Just what do you plan to do about it, your highness?" he chuckled. "Oh wait, I suppose that isn't you, is it? _You_ were never a queen," he taunted, "your darkness was. And she and my master have gone away together, back to the Land Without Color, to prepare."

Regina felt her own consciousness slipping, but fought to keep her control, glaring at the man.

"But don't you worry," he added with a greasy smile. "They left me here to keep things in check—so don't go thinking that you're all _safe_ by any means."

Regina fell to her knees, her grip on her consciousness fading fast.

The dark-skinned man's laughter echoed through the empty halls. "I don't suppose you'll be thinking much of anything, soon. And don't worry. I'll take good care of your sister for you."

She looked up with her last bit of strength to see the man leering down at her sister with a hunger in his eyes. The sight made her stomach churn, but no matter how hard she fought to regain control, she found herself lost to darkness.


	10. Episode 10: Moving Forward

EPISODE 10: MOVING FORWARD

"Regina," a familiar voice called out in the darkness.

She wheeled about on easy feet, straining her eyes for focus. "Robin?" she questioned softly.

Slowly, the darkness faded into a dim scene. She stood in the middle of a forest, but its color was drained, like an old photograph.

"I'm here, Regina," the voice called out once more.

She turned again and saw him at last. "Robin," she repeated with tears in her eyes. She rushed over to hug him but instead threw herself right through him and into the forest floor. She let out a single choked sob and got to her knees. She couldn't bring herself to face the man once more, so she stayed there in the dirt and grass, staring blankly forward with tears in her eyes.

Robin stared down at his beloved with sad eyes. He walked up behind her and stood there, unable to do anything else.

"What is this?" Regina asked. The air was still, and quiet, and smelled familiar, like apples and musk.

"I'm not sure," he responded, crouching down behind the raven haired woman.

She felt his presence behind her and turned to face him. She gave him a weak smile and wiped away a tear. "I miss you," she whispered.

"You needn't miss me," he said with a small smile of his own, "I am here."

She looked around for a moment before rising to her feet. All at once her attitude shifted. "You're not here," she snapped, her anger hiding her sorrow. "You're gone. You're more than gone. Hades erased your very existence." She turned away from the man who had risen to his feet as well. She faced out into the forest with crossed arms.

For a while all was quiet, and Regina began to feel isolated once again, but finally, Robin spoke.

"You are wrong," he said softly. "I am here. Can't you feel me?" He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, though he could not actually touch her.

She could feel him. She looked down at the arms wrapped around her and noticed that she could just barely see right through them. She closed her eyes and felt him there instead.

"I'm sorry I had to leave you…"

Tears began to fall from Regina's closed eyes. "You saved my life," she whispered. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I love you, Regina."

"I love you too, Robin." She sobbed despite all attempts not to and turned to face him again. She stared into his eyes. "You were my soul mate," she said, wiping away her tears once again. She shook her head. "He took you away. He took away Roland's and Little Robin's father. He took away my happy ending."

He gave her a sad, uneasy smile. "Regina, you mustn't let that be true. You can still have a happy ending."

"How? You're gone, and there is no way to bring you back, not like with Hook. You're just gone." She shut her eyes and took a deep breath.

Her very bones ached with this familiar loss. After so many years, she had had another chance at love, at a happy ending, and now, once again, because of Snow's family, it was gone. She shook her head. It wasn't their fault. It was circumstance. It was because she was a villain. Because of all the horrendous things she had done. She wasn't meant to have a happy ending.

"You're wrong," a different voice declared.

Regina turned on her heels, her eyes flashing open in an instance. No longer was she standing in a forest, but now she stood in a stable. There before her stood a face from so long ago.

"Daniel?" she called out hesitantly.

He smiled. "Regina," he greeted.

She thought her heart might simply implode, for there was too much emotion pumping through it. It beat furiously. She could feel it thumping against her ribcage painfully.

He took a step nearer the uncertain woman and she noticed that he, too, was not fully corporeal. Cautiously, she reached out to touch it cheek, but was unsurprised to find that she could not. She yanked back her hand and held it to her chest.

"I have missed you so much," she sobbed. Her brown eyes glistened with tears and they slid down her cheeks.

"I know," he replied. "I know." He was smiling, but there was sadness in his eyes too.

"I thought I would never be happy again when you were taken from me."

"But you were wrong, weren't you?" he asked in a kindly tone.

Despite his reassuring smile, she felt a pang of guilt that snapped in her heart. She diverted her eyes, too ashamed to face him any longer.

"It's okay," he continued. "Do you not think that I would want for you to be happy?"

She looked back at him and saw the honesty in his eyes. "But that was taken from me too," she whimpered. "I'm not allowed to have a happy ending," she added. "After you died…everything I did…all the lives I destroyed. This is my punishment." She wrapped her arms around herself as if she was cold, but really, she felt nothing at all, save the presence of the man before her, and the faint presence of Robin, though she could no longer see the man.

"You are wrong, my love."

She peered at him with wide, questioning eyes. Her heart ached to be so near and yet to be unable to touch him once again, to feel his arms around her. And yet, she could feel him. Under her skin, in her veins, in her bones—he was there. Robin was there.

"You will have your happy ending."

She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. She wanted to believe him, but she was so sure he was wrong. She had done so much to prove herself, and time and time again she was knocked back down. She thought she had found a second chance at a happy ending, but once again it was torn from her.

"How can you be so sure?" she whispered.

"Because I'll do whatever it takes to make it happen," answered another voice.

"Emma?" Regina turned around yet again, opening her eyes to see yet another new scene—but no new face. She stood this time outside of her home. Her prized apple tree was there, nearly grey. Everything was quiet. It was Emma's voice that had spoken, but everywhere Regina looked she was nowhere to be found.

"I'll find your happy ending," Emma's voice continued. These were the promises she had made in the past. She had always been so sure that Regina could be happy—would be happy, some day.

She didn't believe them. She didn't believe any of them. But maybe, maybe a part of her did. A part of her that didn't want to admit it out loud. A part of her that knew her chances weren't over. The part of her that acknowledged all that had changed already. She had friends. Even Snow White, her worst enemy, was now her friend. She had family. Henry. Zelena. Emma.

Things could change. She could be happy. She should already be happy.

She felt herself smile. She could feel Emma's presence there with her. She closed her eyes and imagined her friend standing there with that earnest smile.

"You have to wake up now, Regina," Emma whispered. "Zelena needs you…"

"I need you."

With a gasp Regina opened her eyes once again, this time for real. Her head pounded and her body ached. She was lying on the cool floor of her office. The blood on the back of her head had dried. Slowly, she climbed to her feet with Pandora's box in her hand.

"Regina?"

She looked up so quickly that the pounding in her head resounded twice as hard. She gripped her temples. "Snow, what are you doing here?" she asked in a pained tone.

Snow stood in the doorway with her bow with a look of concern etched on her brow. "You've been gone for hours," she answered, "so I came looking for you."

Regina remembered her dream and smiled. She did have reasons to be happy. "I'm all right," Regina said with a groan. "Or I'll be all right. But don't step closer—there's a barrier. I can't get out."

"Where's Zelena? Where's Hyde and the Evil Queen?"

Regina growled. "They are gone. She and Hyde went back to his world to prepare some sort of new curse or spell to merge that world with ours. Zelena…she was captured by Hyde's irritating minion."

She walked over to the barrier and reached out to see if it was still there. It zapped her skin like electricity. She drew back her hand and held it close.

"I can't break this on my own. It's mine, but also somehow not. I need Zelena. Together we can break it, I'm sure of it."

Snow nodded. "Where could they have gone?"

Regina thought about it. Where could they have gone? Her first thought was her vault, but she didn't think her other self would have told any more people about it than already knew. She wracked her brain. The library basement? No, there would be no place to keep Zelena captive there.

"The only thing I can think of is the jail," she answered.

"I'll get her, don't worry," Snow replied. She made to leave, but paused. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Regina nodded. The throbbing in her head was fading, and her mind was jumbled with all these dream-happenings that kept occurring, but she felt somehow hopeful. "I'm fine."

"All right, I'll be back," Snow assured, and with that she turned around and left down the hall.

* * *

Mr. Gold paced slowly back and forth in front of the Cave of Wonders, wary that it felt as though the beast was watching his every move. He hated being unable to have his way, and he hated having to rely on others. He curled his upper lip in a snarl at the thought of having to count on the pirate to find the staff for him, the same man that had once stolen his wife away from him.

He heard voices growing louder from within the beast's throat and turned to see the other two men walking up the stairs from the deep darkness behind them. They were laughing and talking like old friends, and this turned Gold's stomach even more with disdain.

To his pleasure, however, Hook was carrying the staff. As they neared, he saw that the pirate was holding the staff so tightly that his knuckles were white with the effort.

"I see your venture was successful," he greeted them, eager to interrupt their jovial conversation. The pirate simply didn't deserve to be happy.

"Indeed," Hook responded simply, his carefree happiness fading at the sight of the Crocodile. The man was simply a reminder of everything that had gone wrong in Hook's life.

Gold stuck out his hand, waiting for the pirate to pass the staff to him.

Hook stood his ground. "I don't think so," he said coolly. "I'll hold on to this until we get back home."

Aladdin's eyes shifted between the two men, trying to understand the situation further. Hook had filled him in on some of the details, and he knew that the older man was not to be trusted. Aladdin had already wondered. Gold gave him an uneasy feeling in his gut.

Gold narrowed his eyes but kept his cool. "I will need the staff's power to create a portal home," he said simply.

Hook's stomach dropped. In his desire to save Emma he had rushed into this plan with the Crocodile with barely a thought for the logistics of the operation. He could have agreed to a plan with no way back home.

With a sigh, he conceded. "Fine, Crocodile." Before he handed over the staff, however, he turned to face his new friend. "I suppose this is farewell then," he said.

Aladdin stuck out his hand to shake farewell. Hook looked down and looked from his hook to the hand that held the staff before shifting the staff to under his arm and shaking the other man's hand.

"It was nice to meet you, Killian," said Aladdin with a charming smile.

"Likewise," agreed Hook with a smile just as debonair. "Perhaps we shall meet again someday."

Aladdin's grin grew. "I would like that. And if you see Genie, tell him we miss him."

"Will do lad. Tell your princess it was nice meeting her as well."

Gold rolled his eyes at the display, but made his own pleasantries as well. After all, the boy had helped him receive the tool he needed to save his wife. "I am grateful for your assistance," he said. "It will not be forgotten."

"No problem," Aladdin responded. He ran a hand through the thick hair at the back of his head.

Hook hesitantly handed the staff to Gold. His instinct told him not to trust anyone with the object, but when it finally left his hand he felt relieved to be free of its overwhelming presence. He could feel the color return to his cheeks.

Aladdin waved them off as they walked a bit further into the desert to make a portal home.

Gold stood still, holding the instrument in his hands. He could feel the darkness that emanated within the golden staff. He pitied the spirit within. He knew what it was like, to have such immense power but to be shackled to a tool. In his case, it was the dagger that gave people control of his actions. The darkness called to him, begging for freedom, but he resisted the temptation.

Instead, channeled his own magic through it, charging it up until he had enough to create a portal on his own. It strained him to do so. Creating a portal between worlds was not an easy task. He once had had to manipulate multiple people so that a curse could be cast, just so he could cross worlds. Zelena was powerful enough to do so with the fairy's wand, and together he and she could do so, because he had the power of every dark one. But alone it was impossible.

With the staff, however, he was able to build up the power. It drained him, but it was doable. Finally, when he could feel the power vibrating in his bones and even deeper yet, he slammed the end of it into the sand and a portal opening beneath their feet, swallowing them up.


	11. Episode 11: Broken Things

EPISODE 11: BROKEN THINGS

"I'm glad you're okay, Mom," said Henry, releasing his raven-haired mother from a nearly painfully tight embrace, not that she would ever complain. They were standing in the hallway just outside of Emma's room.

He pulled back and looked passed her small smile to see just how tired and pained the woman must have been feeling. "I wish I could have been there," he whispered. "I wouldn't have let you get hurt."

Her heart filled with so much emotion that for a moment she was unable to speak. Her vision blurred with a thin layer of tears that she held back. "Oh Henry," she ran a hand through his hair. "When did you grow up to be such a perfect little prince?"

The boy flushed and fidgeted, but his smile gave away that he didn't mind the praise.

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Henry. I want to be a hero for you, and that means that sometimes I'm going to get hurt. But being a hero also means I'm no longer alone. I have people who have my back and will do what they can to get me home safely."

Henry nodded. He was filled with pride for how far his mother had come, and she was proud of herself, too. It seemed like maybe she was losing her driven focus on a romance-based happily ever after, and Henry was all right with that. It was good that she recognized what she had.

He wasn't entirely satisfied, however. "I'm not a little kid anymore," he said after a moment. "I want to be one of the people that has your back."

"I know, Henry. You do have my back. I know you want to do more…" Regina paused and thought about everyone she had lost. "I know it isn't fair to keep seeing you as just a child," she said, looking him in the eyes, "but you are my child. I don't want to lose you."

Henry sighed. He understood all she had lost and didn't want to add more sorrow to his mother's life. "I know, Mom. But all those people that have your back, they have mine too. We're a team."

Regina looked her son in the eyes and saw so much in them. He had that Charming family optimism and Emma's wit and spunk. She saw herself there, too, and that made her smile. "You're right, Henry. I think it's time to pick back up on those hero-ing lessons with David."

His grin went from ear-to-ear. "Thanks Mom." He smiled at her for a moment before becoming serious once again. "And you're sure you're all right?" She didn't really look all right. She looked haggard and rather defeated, and there was still dried blood in her disorganized hair.

She nodded. "I just need to rest." She gave him a reassuring smile. Truth was, all this talking had made her head start pounding even worse, but that mattered little when it came to her son.

"Okay, I'll let you get to sleep then. Besides, they're waiting for me so we can head home," he said, referring to the couple sitting out on the deck. "With Neal staying with the fairies, she dotes on me even more than usual," he added, making a face.

Regina laughed and Henry chuckled. "Goodnight Henry."

"Night Mom." He walked the rest of the distance through the hallway. Regina waited and listened, just to be connected to him a moment longer in some way.

"Goodnight, Aunt Zelena," she heard him say to her sister. "You look like you should probably get some rest, too."

Regina's heart swelled yet again. Her son truly was a believer in people—in good. He had already accepted Zelena into the family and had shown that he cared for her, too. She couldn't be sure, but she imagined Zelena was feeling pretty overwhelmed with the care he showed, because that's how she had felt, too, in the beginning.

She heard Zelena's gratitude and love in her soft response to the boy and smiled. Then, once the front door had open and shut once again, she made her way into the room with Emma, shutting the door behind her.

She sighed and leaned against the door, willing her headache to go away, willing everything to just go away. She just wanted to sleep and wake up to a normal life again—if that had ever even existed.

She opened her eyes and her gaze fell upon her sleeping friend. Regina walked over and took her seat in the armchair next to the bed.

"I wish you were awake," she said softly, looking over her friend's soft, peaceful features. "I feel so overwhelmed, and you're always able to talk me down." Henry was right, she had people who had her back, but none had her back more so than Miss Emma Swan.

She thought back to earlier that morning in the car with Zelena and frowned. She thought back to the strange dream she had while blacked out and rubbed her temples. Everything felt so complicated.

But it wasn't, right? She had loved Daniel and he had been taken from her. She became a villain. She had loved Robin and he had been taken from her. Villains aren't allowed to have happy endings.

But…she had a loving family, a loving son, a wonderful best friend. Villains have no such things.

She fought on the side of good. She was one of the heroes. Villains certainly aren't heroes.

Daniel was taken from her when she still had a naïve, pure heart. She wasn't a villain then.

Maybe, just maybe, none of it had to do with being a villain at all. Maybe, just maybe, it was just life.

She looked at Emma and thought over everything she knew Emma had been through. Bouncing from home to home, never feeling wanted. Being abandoned by Neal, a man she had loved. Falling for Graham and losing him (because a woman who would go on to become her best friend killed him). Falling for another man and trying to be happy with him only to find out it was all a trick. Falling for the pirate only to learn they weren't true loves.

And Emma was good. She was often scared. She often ran. But she was good. Even as the Dark One she had been, mostly, pretty good.

Something dripped onto Regina's hand and she realized she was crying. "I call myself a hero and act like I deserve a happy ending because of a few years of good deeds," she whispered. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to talk out loud to Emma, but she did. "You've been a good soul all your life and things are constantly taken from you. I see how scared you have been. I watched as the pirate had to tear down your walls for you to give him a change. But you always brave through it. If anyone deserves a happy ending, it's you."

She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. She needed a shower, but she was simply too tired. She didn't even care that she might be getting her dried blood on the chair. She was simply far too exhausted to care about such things.

Once again she thought back to that morning in the car, lingering over everything her sister had said. Regina wasn't entirely sure where it had all come from, but realized that Zelena was probably right, she could still be happy.

But hadn't she also said something about love? She rubbed her temples, trying to remember everything that had been said.

 _I do love you,_ she conceded, her thoughts addressing the woman before her, even though it felt a bit strange even just thinking the words to herself, _but I feel like Zelena was getting to something more. But…it's not like that._ She could hear Emma's steady breathing. _Even if I still might have a true love or another soul mate or whatever…_ These matters were so damn complicated. _It's not like it's Emma. The Fates aren't_ _that_ _crazy_.

Are they? After everything she had been through, could she really say that?

And why was she questioning Fate and not just outright admitting that Emma couldn't possibly love her in that way—that she couldn't possibly love Emma in that way?

 _The idea is simply preposterous,_ she thought.

Regina sighed and stood. She considered shutting off the small lamp that stood on the night table nearby, but decided that she'd rather have light in case something happened, even though she had a much harder time sleeping when it wasn't completely dark. She made her way over to the small couch, avoiding looking at Emma on the way. She laid out the pillows and blankets so that she could sleep a little better this night. She lay down and stared at the ceiling. It certainly was nowhere near as comfortable as her bed back home, but it was more comfortable than the chair, at least.

She closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep, but instead of sleep, her mind just replayed the events of earlier that day.

She had felt so useless just sitting in her office waiting for be rescued by Snow White and her sister, waiting for Snow White to rescue her sister.

They had told her all about what had happened, and she could just imagine the events that took place.

* * *

Zelena had awakened to find herself in a familiar cell. Her head was fuzzy. She looked around and saw her captor sitting in a chair across the room.

He noticed her looking around, and stood up with a smile. "Well well well," he said, walking over to the cell.

Zelena's emerald eyes focused and narrowed on the man. She wrapped her hands around the bars and gave a small smirk.

"Would you like out?" he asked with a laugh. He held his hands behind his back and she knew he likely held his weapon there.

She laughed back. "Oh hun, you have no idea who you're talking to," she taunted, and she was right. He knew about how dangerous Regina was, being the counterpart to the woman he had already met, and he knew about the savior, but he didn't know about this woman.

She stood back and smirked before vanishing in a whirl of green smoke. She reappeared behind him and grabbed the man by the throat as he turned around. Shocked, he dropped his weapon to the floor.

Zelene's eyes lit a brighter shade of green as she willed the magic into her palm, every bit ready to kill the man.

"Zelena! Don't!" Snow called out.

The man's eyes grew even wider on his ever reddening face as he saw yet another woman behind the one who held his life in her hands.

Zelena glanced behind her to see Snow White standing there with an arrow knocked. "Why shouldn't I kill the worm?" she asked in a low voice.

Snow circled around the two and pulled back her arrow, ready to release if needed. "Because that isn't the way. That isn't justice. You're on the good side now, so you have to do things right. His life isn't ours to take."

Zelena's frustration grew. Of course Snow White would say something like that. This was the same woman who had refused to kill the Evil Queen the many times they had the chance because she might someday be redeemed, even though the Queen actively sought her life.

 _Still_ , Zelena thought, _Regina_ _had_ _been redeemed, in the end._

"Fine," she conceded, dropping the man in a slump on the ground. "We'll do things your way."

Zelena turned and walked towards Snow, unsure if she trusted herself to stay near the man who had injured both her and her sister without killing him. She wasn't prepared for the next moment when Snow narrowed her eyes and sent an arrow soaring just over her shoulder.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed, turning about on her heels to see where the arrow had landed.

The man fell to his knees behind Zelena, gripping at the new wound on his shoulder. The arrow rested there, buried deep. He had picked up his weapon, Zelena realized, and had made to attack once again.

"Thanks," she muttered, giving the irritating man a sharp kick.

"No problem," Snow answered. "If he makes another move, I'll let you kill him," she said offhandedly.

Zelena wasn't sure if Snow was kidding, but grinned her wicked grin at the man who, in turn, trembled on the floor.

"We should lock him up," stated Snow as she moved closer.

Zelena looked around the station in thought. "Yes," she agreed, "but not here. There's nobody here to keep an eye on the scum."

She was right, Snow knew. It was too dangerous to leave him alone. "Any ideas?"

"We can keep him in the cell in my basement," Zelena answered. She noticed the look Snow gave her in response. "What? It's where I kept Rumple."

The idea seemed mostly all right with Snow, but there was still something that worried her, something that kept her staring at Zelena in thought.

"And we'll never leave him alone there," Zelena added, realizing what Snow must have been thinking. "Emma will be safe."

Snow nodded in consent before grabbing a pair of handcuffs off of a nearby desk and cuffing the man. She yanked him to his feet. "I meant what I said. If you step out of line even an inch, I _will_ let her kill you, or I'll even do it myself."

To make sure he understood that she was serious, she grabbed hold of her arrow buried in his shoulder and removed it with a sharp tug. His blood splattered out with its removal and he cried out in pain.

"Understood?" she asked.

He nodded.

Zelena watched the scene with her head cocked sideways. She had to admit, the woman was pretty impressive in her own way.

Then the three of them had headed back to Regina's office, where the already injured sisters pushed themselves to exhaustion breaking through the double-sided barrier.

Operation Canary was completed, but it certainly hadn't happened without a hitch.

* * *

Regina had left Pandora's box, and thus, Belle, with Zelena. She had done so for two reasons. One, she was already trying to watch over Emma's heart, except for today when she had left it behind with Henry, and two, she enjoyed the thought of Gold finding out Zelena was the one watching over his cursed wife.

Regina thought about Emma's heart now, as she lay on the couch. It was in the box, sitting on the floor beside her, never far from her reach. Still, it didn't feel safe enough. After all Emma had done for her, she wanted to make sure Emma's heart was safe, and with the Evil Queen on the loose, Regina didn't feel like it was safe, not even in her hands.

She heard Zelena walk down the hall and into her room and kept listening, wary of every little noise she heard. But mostly, all she could hear was Emma's soft breathing on the bed nearby, a sound which comforted her weary heart, if only just a little.

Regina sat up suddenly. She had an idea. It was risky, but for Emma, she would try it.

She spun to sit on the couch properly and lifted the box into her lap. She opened it and gazed at the bright red heart within. Gently, she lifted it out of the box. She could feel Emma's warmth. "Is this why you're so cold?" she whispered.

With Emma's heart held carefully in one hand, she tore out her own heart with the other. She held them both in front of her, comparing them. Emma's was so vibrant, and her own was so dull. It didn't have its darkness any longer—that had gone with the Evil Queen, but it no longer felt complete, either. She no longer felt complete as well, not since she had split herself in two. The heart she held was incomplete. Faded. Broken.

She wasn't entirely sure if her plan would work. Charming held half of Snow's heart in his chest, but she wasn't so sure the same applied here. Charming and Snow were, after all, true loves.

She took a deep breath and plunged Emma's heart into her chest.

Her eyes went wide. She gasped and clutched her chest. It was too much. She could feel so much sorrow and pain, so much anger and uncertainty. But that she could handle. But it was filled even more-so with love and compassion. She could feel it radiating in her chest—the love for her friends, her parents, her little brother, Hook, Henry, and she could feel the love for herself, too, and that was the strangest of them all to feel in such a way.

She closed her eyes and worked to steady her breathing. She could handle this. She would handle this, so that she could keep Emma's heart safe from her other self.

It was so very, very warm. She could feel Emma's presence. When she closed her eyes, it seemed as though the other woman was there, wrapping her arms around Regina and holding her close.

She couldn't keep pretending the blonde wasn't in the room with her. She couldn't just keep avoiding looking that way because Zelena's words were confusing her. She missed her friend too much.

Her panic at the rush of emotions subsided and she placed her heart in the box instead. She stood and carried it with her back across the room before sitting it on the night table and herself back in the chair.

She sat there for a moment without moving, without really even thinking, just staring down at her friend and taking in how much she missed being able to talk to the other woman.

"I'm still not convinced I wasn't just dreaming," she whispered, referring to the night before, but it was worth a chance. Then, full of uncertainty, she slowly reached out and wrapped her fingers around Emma's.

She was surprised to feel that Emma was already warm. She reached out with her other hand and touched Emma's arm—warm. She reached out and gently stroked her cheek—warm.

Emma Swan was warm. Regina wasn't fully certain why this was, but she smiled nonetheless and made herself as comfortable as she could in the chair. Somehow, despite how restless she had been just moments before, she fell asleep easily, never letting go of Emma's hand.

Moments later she opened her eyes to find herself in darkness. She blinked, trying to get her eyes to adjust. She looked around and saw a very strange scene before her. She was in Emma's dreams again, it seemed.

Emma Swan was seated a short distance off silhouetted by images playing as if projected onto an enormous screen in the sky. Everything else was darkness, absolute darkness.

Very slowly and very carefully Regina made her way forward, testing each step before shifting her weight to the next foot. It was terribly difficult to be sure of her footing when the sky, the horizon, the ground, everything was the same shade of black.

She watched what played in the sky as she trudged forward. She saw many things she did not recognize, people sending Emma away, people yelling at her for messing up. She saw some she did recognize as well, and slowly she realized what she was seeing.

Emma's nightmares.

Many of the things that flashed across the sky were false renditions of events that actually happened. She saw things like Snow White actually being ripped apart by a hellhound in the Underworld. She saw David being shot, Henry falling to his death in the mine, and herself having her heart crushed by the Evil Queen. These images made Regina shudder.

But what saddened her the most were the little clips of life that she knew were real, like Hook dying in Emma's arms, Henry falling into the sleeping curse after eating the turnover meant for Emma…

Regina sending Emma away with a threat after Emma confessed about her birthday wish—about how she had wished she didn't have to be alone.

Regina stopped watching after that one.

"Regina," Emma greeted as a small squeak. She hadn't even turned around to see if it was her.

Regina didn't trust her voice enough to answer, not after the memory she had just witnessed. She just walked up and sat down near the Savior.

"I could feel your presence," Emma explained, still not removing her eyes from the memories and false memories playing for her across the sky. She was trembling.

Regina bit back her own selfish fear and looked over at her friend. Emma was watching the sky with a far-away expression and tears silently dripping down her face.

"Oh, Emma." Regina broke and pulled her friend into a hug, holding the other woman tight.

Emma clung to the raven-haired woman as if she would drown if she let go. She began to cry outright.

"Shh," Regina soothed. "I've got you." It was like young Henry all over again, soothing his fears after a nightmare. It really was Emma that Regina held in her arms. She could tell. She could feel the woman's presence. But at the same time, this wasn't the same strong woman she was used to. This was a very tormented woman—a broken woman.

She ran her fingers through Emma's hair and down her back before starting at the top again.

Emma sniffed and took a deep breath, trying to stop herself from giving in to her tears.

"I could feel you," she said. She buried her head in Regina's neck and Regina pulled her even closer into the embrace. "Before I could feel you here, with me, I could still feel you."

Regina had begun to rock Emma back and forth, holding the woman in her lap now. Emma's breath was warm against Regina's collarbone.

Emma calmed but didn't let go of the woman she held on to. She continued to sit with her face buried in Regina's neck, her arms wrapped around her neck, and Regina kept rocking her back and forth.

"Are you all right?" Emma's voice was so soft, like a child's. Even in this state, she had noticed Regina's appearance, her fatigue, the blood in her hair. She lifted her head just a bit to look up at the woman holding her. She tucked a strand of Regina's messy hair behind her ear and looked into those intense dark eyes.

Regina looked back at Emma, feeling as though the other woman was staring straight through her. She worried for a moment that Emma would realize she had her heart. She wasn't sure why that worried her, but it did—as though she felt like she shouldn't have it—as though she felt like she didn't deserve to have it, to be the one guarding it.

And Emma looked so innocent there, and so sleepy. "I'm all right," Regina answered softly. "Don't worry about me." She managed the smallest of smiles.

"I'm always going to worry about you," Emma whispered, her eyelids drooping back shut. She wiggled her head back into the crook of Regina's neck.

It was strange, to be held like that, like a child, but at the moment she didn't care. She had been reliving all these memories for so long—she had been cold for so long, until just recently—that she didn't care how childish she felt. She didn't think about how strange it was to be held by Regina of all people. She just closed her eyes and enjoyed it.

Emma's last words played through Regina's mind on repeat. They formed a blanket and covered her up, shielding her from her insecurities. For the time being, nothing else mattered but holding Emma and keeping her safe from the nightmares of the curse.

Once Emma's breathing had evened out and it seemed as though she was nearly asleep, Regina finally spoke. "Emma?" she questioned softly, unsure if her friend was even awake. Was it possible to fall asleep in here if she was technically already asleep?

"Hm?" Emma whimpered softly, her lips moving just slightly against Regina's skin.

Regina's breath hitched in her throat and for a moment she did not respond. "You said you could feel me before I got here," she eventually continued, "Have you been warm since then, too?"

The sleepy Savior nodded.

 _Emma's heart_. Without thinking, Regina lifted Emma's hand and placed her palm over her own heart beating in Regina's chest. "I'll keep you warm," Regina whispered. "I promise."

Emma didn't respond. It seemed it was possible to sleep in this place after all.

Despite herself, Regina took Emma's place watching the images flash across the sky. Most of them were nightmares for her, too, she noticed. Their lives really were quite intertwined.

It was also a different sort of nightmare for Regina as well. So many of those memories, both the real ones and the false, featured her—or the Evil Queen. She wasn't sure. The longer they spent apart the more complicated Regina realized it all was. She couldn't tell who she saw on the screen, but she knew she was the source of so much of Emma's pain, and many of her fears.

It was particularly strange to see how conflicted Emma's nightmarish visions were. In one scene, Regina herself (or the Evil Queen), would be the one to inflict Emma's sorrow. In the next, Regina would be hurt by something else, and Regina's pain would be Emma's sorrow.

It would seem that things weren't simple for Emma, either.


	12. Episode 12: Sleep

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EPISODE 12: SLEEP

Hook and Mr. Gold stood in the middle of a dirt road in the woods as the portal popped shut behind them.

"We're back," Hook groaned, looking around him. He was glad to feel the refreshing air of the woods on his face.

Gold was glad to be home as well, to have the dirt beneath his feet instead of the ever-shifting sand. Unlike Hook, he hadn't taken a liking to the desert at all.

"Indeed," said Gold, wiping some sand off of his shoulder. He took off walking towards Zelena's house.

"Woah woah woah," said Hook. He looked up at the sky and tried to read the stars. "It's got to be like four, maybe five in the morning. We should at least wait until dawn." He moved to stand in front of Gold. He wished he had some sort of excuse to take back the staff. The man was powerful enough with the power of every single Dark One; he didn't need a way to magnify that strength, other than waking Belle.

Gold stopped and glared at the pirate. He was in no mood for negotiation. He was going to wake his wife immediately.

Hook sighed. "C'mon, Mate, I want to wake up Emma just as much as you want to wake Belle, but that doesn't give us the right to barge in in the middle of the night." He held up his hand and hook as a symbol of truce.

Again, Gold glared. "Listen, Pirate, I don't care how much you think you love Emma or if you think it compares to how I feel about Belle, you aren't getting in my way. I'll just teleport there if I must."

Hook stepped back. He was outraged. So many words tangled with his tongue in their desperate rush to escape. How dare the Crocodile act like his love for Belle was so special. At least he was willing to change for his love—to be a good guy. The bloody Crocodile was too attached to his power to sacrifice it for Belle, no matter how much she pleaded.

But he stayed quiet, silently seething. "Fine," he conceded through grit teeth. At least this way it seemed like they would be knocking on the front door as opposed to just popping in.

They traversed the rest of the distance through the woods without a word to one another, but Hook's mind was racing. He was anxious to wake up Emma, but he was also incredibly nervous. They had come so far in their relationship, and he didn't know what to expect from it now that his kiss had failed to wake her up.

It wasn't the first time, either. But they had stayed together this long and made it work. Maybe they still could. There was no denying his feelings for the woman. True love or not, it was true, and it was love. And maybe, just maybe, they weren't _not_ true loves. Maybe something else was going on. Maybe the curse was a little different, or maybe it was because Emma still hadn't fully let down her defenses. Maybe there was still hope.

He let out an anxious puff of breath as they reached the house and made their way up the stairs. Gold knocked on the door and waited with what Hook assumed was feigned patience. When no one answered, he knocked again, more loudly.

Finally they heard movement from within the house, and in a few moments Zelena opened the door up wearing a robe and looking quite irritated. Hook made sure to stand a bit behind Gold, just in case.

"Do you imbeciles have an idea what time it is?" she snapped, wrapping her green robe around her a little tighter.

Hook stood in the back looking at the ground, leaving it up to Gold to soothe the angry woman.

"Now, now, dearie," he said. "Surely you can understand why we didn't want to wait." Before even giving her a chance to respond, he continued, "I assume you have upheld your part of the deal?"

She narrowed her bright emerald eyes at the man and considered lying and telling him that they hadn't been able to rescue Belle.

But instead, she nodded her head and stuck her hand in her robe pocket. "I have her right here," she said.

Gold narrowed his eyes as well. If he hadn't been more preoccupied with his need to wake his wife, he would have made a comment about how she of all people shouldn't have been the one looking after Belle.

Zelena held up Pandora's box and Gold snatched it from her grasp. "Well, I'll be off then," he said with a wave.

But Hook grabbed hold of his arm as he began to magic away, causing the black smoke that had begun to appear to vanish as quickly as it came. "I don't think so," he said, giving the man a stern look. "You'll stay right here so we can wake up Emma, too." There was no way he trusted Gold to bring back the staff after, not when Emma was the one person most likely to be able to stand up to the man.

Gold's patience was running terribly thin and he had to fight the urge to decimate them all on the spot. But assuredly, Belle would not want to wake to that carnage. "Fine," he acquiesced. "I'll need a place to lay her."

Zelena led the way into her home and directed them to a cozy living room.

Once Belle was out of the box and on the couch, Gold began to feel nervous. Of course, he would never show that to anyone else. Instead, he set to work waking her up. He began slowly, not wanting to tire himself out too quickly. He was already tired from opening the portal to return from Agrabah.

He channeled his power into the staff and let it build. For painfully long minutes he let it grow, storing it there until he had enough to break the curse without true love's kiss. He knew, in the back of his mind, with all of his knowledge, that this was a long shot, but he had to try.

He saved up his power until he was on the verge of passing out, ever aware of the two pairs of anxious eyes watching him closely. Then he held the staff over Belle and willed Belle to awake from her curse. He willed it with every ounce of magic he had, he willed it with his power as the Dark One, he willed it with every beat of his dark heart.

But she would not wake.

He fought back the tears that threatened to give away his sentimentality. He was the Dark One, and wife or not, that simply wouldn't do.

He tried again, pushing himself until his eyes were rolling back into his head and he fell to his knees.

"Rumple," Zelena gave a soft shout. She knelt beside him. "You have to stop. It isn't working."

He turned his sorrow into rage and gritted his teeth. "I'll kill him," he snarled, standing up on wobbly legs. "I'll rip out his heart," he threatened, and with that, he vanished into a puff of smoke, leaving both Belle and the staff behind.

Zelena stood as well, unsure of how to proceed.

"Poor Lass," said Hook, gazing down at the sleeping beauty on the couch. Truth was, he felt bad for the Crocodile, too, but he wasn't comfortable with that, so he channeled that sympathy towards Belle instead.

Zelena said nothing. She was tired and irritated, and was new to feeling empathetic towards the good guys. But she felt her share of sadness at the situation. Despite their past, she did care for Rumple, and as she stared down at the sleeping woman, she could not help but feel for her as well.

Hook shifted nervously from foot to foot, and ran a finger over his hook.

"What is it?" Zelena asked, annoyed by his hesitation to voice whatever it was he clearly wanted to say.

"We still need to try to wake Emma," he said. "But I don't have powers like you lot." He was asking for her help, but having a hard time putting it into words.

"Fine," she said. "Just, let me make myself some coffee first." She turned and made her way into the kitchen, flicking on a light as she went. "I'll let you be the one to wake Regina. I can't imagine she'll be too thrilled after the day we had."

Hook set his jaw tight and nodded. Waking Regina up was the last thing he ever wanted to do. The woman terrified him. Not to mention, he got the impression that the woman didn't much care for him, or at least, that she didn't think he was good enough for Emma. He bristled at the thought. Having to ask for her help to wake Emma up since his kiss didn't work—it was a big hit to his pride.

Nevertheless, he made his way down the hall to Emma's room and gently knocked on the door. When no response came, he knocked harder. "Regina," he called out softly. No answer.

It struck him as strange that she could sleep through his knocking, but Zelena did say they had had quite the day. He swallowed hard and slowly opened the door. The loud creak it gave sent a shiver up his spine.

"Regina?" he called out again. Still there was no response.

He first cast his gaze towards the couch, where Regina should have been, but was surprised to find it empty. At first he assumed Regina must not be in the room, but then he noticed a figure slumped over in the chair next to Emma. This took him a bit by surprise.

He crept quietly into the room, cursing silently when the floor beneath him creaked. He tiptoed to the foot of the bed and took in the scene before him: Regina Mills curled up, half in the chair and half on the bed, with his girlfriend's hand held tightly in her own.

What was even stranger was the contented look on the mayor's face—a look of peace. It was unnerving to see the powerful woman looking so calm, so vulnerable. He was certain he was apt to lose his other hand if she knew he was seeing this image.

He was about to turn to get Zelena, to admit that this task was too much for him, when he noticed Emma's expression. It was as tranquil as it had been since she had fallen asleep, but she now also wore a small smile. With a frown, Hook looked at their linked hands more closely—it sure seemed like the very unconscious Savior was actively holding Regina's hand in return.

Too many confusing thoughts exploded in his head and he tried to control them, to make sense of them. _They are friends_ , he reasoned. _Just friends_. He had seen how close they had become over the years, so why did this seem so out of the ordinary?

A small memory nagged at the back of his mind, one of a very giggly Emma confessing to a very amorous pirate that she had a few trysts of her own with some ladies back in the day.

 _But still, no_. Regina had just lost her soul mate. She was heartbroken. Even if…if there was something, could be something, this certainly wouldn't be the time.

 _But then again, tragedy has a tendency to rush things along, things like, oh I dunno, a sleeping curse…_

 _No, no no._ This was the Savior, a product of true love, and Regina, well, no matter how reformed she was, she was still the Evil Queen.

 _But Emma has always stood up for Regina, always reminded people that she wasn't the Evil Queen, and now—now that was truer than ever._

All the while he waged this war with himself he stood still, like a statue, with his mouth slightly agape.

His previous fear was replaced by an overwhelming feeling of anxiety and inadequacy, and in there was a bit of anger, and that gave him courage.

"Regina," he called out a bit louder, stepping closer.

* * *

Back in the darkness of Emma's nightmare, Regina had drifted off into a sort of half-sleep, still awake, but not thinking about anything in particular. She had stopped watching the images that flashed by and had taken to resting her head on Emma's as she held the other woman, occasionally rubbing her back to keep her soothed.

It was the least she could do. After all, this entire mess was her fault. If she could relieve Emma of her nightmares for the night, she would, even if it meant being tired again the next day, since it seemed her visits to Emma's dreams provided her with a very insufficient sleep in the real world.

She didn't think about how nice it was to feel needed like this. She didn't think about how nice it was to have Emma in her arms. She _certainly_ didn't think about Emma's lips moving against her neck when the blonde whimpered in her sleep. Those thoughts simply weren't appropriate.

Was someone calling her name? She opened her eyes and listened. She couldn't be sure, but it did sound like her name was echoing dully through the darkness.

Emma's eyes fluttered open, tickling Regina's skin. "Gina?" she questioned softly, the quiet, childish tone breaking any resolve Regina still had.

Before Regina could respond, however, Emma realized where she was sitting. "Woah," she exclaimed, throwing herself off of her friend. "Sorry," she blurted out.

How had she gotten there in the first place?

Regina immediately missed Emma's warmth in her lap, but she steeled her face. "For?" she questioned, a confused lilt in the word. The sudden change in the Savior's demeanor caught her off guard. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Perhaps the night of rest had snapped her back to her usual self.

Emma was blushing and diverting her gaze, something that Regina found both worrisome and adorable. _No_ , _that's not right. Just worrisome. Maybe even annoying._

"For-for…you know," she gestured towards Regina and made an awkward scramble to her feet.

Regina stood as well, mostly to buy her some time before she had to respond. She dusted herself off, though she was pretty sure the absolute darkness on which they stood probably hadn't left any residue.

"It's fine, Miss Swan." She swore she heard her name again. Was she losing her mind?

Emma frowned, and Regina knew why—she had used her old distancing title for the blonde. Regina tried to get the Emma to meet her gaze, so she could ascertain the woman's feelings, but Emma refused.

Instead, she turned around and let her gaze fall to the flashes in the sky.

Immediately, her face fell, shifting from confused sadness to complete pain. All at once she remembered everything she had seen, all the nightmares she had been subjected to. She nearly fell to her knees.

"Regina," she whimpered, her independence and humiliation tossed to the side. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to shake off the terror that began to shiver across her skin.

Regina wasted no time in responding, closing the distance between them, and wrapping her arms around the sheriff, turning her around to face her instead of the sky. "Don't look at it Emma," she whispered, rubbing her hand up and down Emma's back.

"I can't help it," Emma replied, her voice shaking. "It pulls me in." She hesitantly wrapped her arms around Regina in return, relaxing into the embrace.

Regina bit her lip in shame. How could she have let this happen? And she couldn't stay here forever. She couldn't keep Emma from living through the nightmares of the curse. That name was calling to her. She realized what it was, someone trying to pull her from her slumber.

Emma pulled back and looked into Regina's dark eyes, finding herself drawn to them even more than the nightmares flashing behind her. She had her arms around Regina's neck and Regina had hers around Emma's waist. Emma was too close, she knew—they were practically nose-to-nose, but she felt safe here, and Regina wasn't pushing her away.

"You're really here, aren't you?"

Regina nodded, and returned Emma's gaze, losing herself in the green hues. She was thinking about all the times they had squared off against each other, standing almost this close, willing the other woman to stand down. But none of those times involved them having their arms wrapped around one another. It was strange how she could feel both so content and uneasy at the same time.

"And you were here before, too?"

Regina nodded again. Now she was sure someone was shaking her shoulder—someone outside of this dream-realm. She fought against it, willing herself to stay here with Emma.

Emma glanced over Regina's expression with a slight blush, hoping Regina couldn't see the heat in her cheeks in the darkness.

"Did you hold me like that all night?" she questioned, averting her gaze. It was too hard to maintain the eye contact while asking such a question.

"Yes," Regina whispered. The answer was too simple, too open. "It's the least I could do for my friend," she amended. "It's my fault you're cursed."

Emma was happy to hear Regina refer to her as a friend—it wasn't often to hear their relationship confirmed out loud—and yet, at the same time, it felt inadequate. She felt herself wanting something more, but that felt ridiculous. What did she want, for Regina to go around proclaiming them to be besties?

"This isn't your fault," Emma replied, pushing past all logical thought to bury her head back against Regina's neck. For the moment, logic didn't matter. She felt safe.

Regina sighed. "Maybe not," she assented. "Either way, I will wake you, Emma. I promise." Whoever was trying to wake Regina up was getting more desperate. She could feel her grasp on this realm slipping.

Emma, against all rationality, imagined Regina waking her with the only way she knew to wake someone from a sleeping curse—with a true love's kiss. She blushed fiercely, nuzzling even closer to Regina as if to escape her embarrassment. Regina said nothing, but raised a brow.

"Regina!" Someone shouted so loudly that Regina jumped slightly.

"Gina," Emma pulled back, her brow furrowed in worry, "what's wrong?" She couldn't hear the voice that called out for Regina.

"Someone's trying to wake me up," Regina snarled, fighting off her impending awakening. "Emma listen," she said, grabbing onto Emma's hands, too rushed to keep up her regal and distanced façade, "I'll come back. I'll come back every night. Just…stay strong until then, okay?"

Emma nodded, her heart fluttering at this sudden show of compassion from her friend, her gut twisting in panic at the thought of being left alone. But even when Regina let go of her hands and began to fade away, Emma could still feel her. Even after she had gone, Emma could still feel her, and she was warm, she realized again, as if Regina had never let her go.

* * *

Regina's eyes snapped open to see both the pirate and her sister hovering over her.

"What?!" she barked, sitting up so quickly that the others nearly fell backwards.

Hook positively paled at her outburst, cowering back. Regina savored the sight. Her sister, however, quickly replaced her look of shock with a slight glare.

"You had us worried, Regina," she explained in her own haughty tone.

Regina rubbed her eyes in irritation. "Well, I'm awake now," she said, noting the darkness outside the window, "what do you want?" Her voice retained its usual venom, but it was directed more at the pirate than her sister.

Neither the pirate nor the witch commented about Regina being where she was, or how she was holding Emma's hand, nor did they ask why she had been so hard to wake up. Zelena knew better, and the pirate simply wasn't that bold.

She wanted to be back in the dream with Emma, and that realization made her very uncomfortable and out of her element. Emma's absence made her feel a very real sense of loneliness. She found herself missing Robin, the love her heart found familiar, and Emma, the friend for whom her heart seemed to yearn, but she couldn't give in to these feelings, not in front of others.

"Well…" the pirate began, and he kept talking, but Regina's thoughts slipped away.

Regina's sleepy mind grappled to fully make sense of all the senses of her body, to make sense of what was real and what wasn't. What _was_ real? The dream, that had felt real, and the people outside trying to wake her up had felt unreal.

But she could still feel Emma, and that wasn't real, was it? It was just because she had Emma's heart in her chest. But wait, she actually could still feel Emma.

With a slight blush Regina realized she was still holding Emma's hand. She tried to casually drop it, not wanting to make a scene, to make it seem like a bigger deal than it was.

The pirate finished speaking, watching the woman with a wary gaze.

"I'm sorry," Regina announced, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I missed that."

Hook sighed. He was too anxious to deal with this, but he tried to give the woman some credit since they had clearly pulled her from a very deep sleep.

Zelena took over, explaining that they had the staff, and that it didn't work with Belle. It was only then that Regina realized that Hook _was_ back, only then that she remembered he had been gone in the first place, and why he had been gone.

She really was quite out of it.

Regina's stomach sunk upon hearing about the failure with Belle, but she tried to remain hopeful for Emma. She didn't want the Savior to suffer any longer, even if it meant being able to hold her to comfort her.

 _Wait, no. She didn't mean that. She was just out of it still—still half asleep._

"All right," she said, standing up. "Together?" She didn't want to just expect her sister's help, knowing the woman was likely just as tired as she was, and she looked it, with bags under her dazzling eyes and her red hair a wavy mess.

Zelena nodded, and together they did as Gold had done, storing up their magic in the staff. They were tired, but they were also powerful, and doubly so together. Soon the staff had a slight glow, a swirl of emerald and purple racing along its length.

Once they had stored all they could, they stood on opposite sides of the bed, holding the staff between them in and their free hands over the Savior. The magic sparked at their fingertips and swept over Emma in waves of their respective colors.

Regina watched Emma's eyes just as closely as Hook did, waiting for any sign of movement, longing for her to open her eyes and smile up at them.

But no matter how hard they pushed, no matter how hard they wished, it simply didn't work.

Gold had been lied to, that was the simple truth. The master manipulator had been manipulated.

Zelena dropped her arms and wiped away the thin layer of sweat from her forehead. Regina dropped her arms shortly after, fighting back the tears in her eyes. Hook paced the room with a deep frown.

"No," Regina moaned under her breath, "I promised…"

The other two glanced at the mayor but said nothing. They didn't know what exactly she meant. They didn't know she visited Emma in her dreams. The room fell to an awkward, heavy silence.

The emerald witch broke the silence first. "What do they need the staff for then?" she asked.

Regina shook her head. Zelena was right; they all knew it. Clearly, the staff was needed for _something_ —but what?

"I don't know, Love," Hook answered. Despite his attempts to control it, his voice was shaking.

Zelena shifted her gaze from Regina, to Hook, and back to Regina. "Well, we have someone we can interrogate," she noted, referring to the man locked away in her basement, "but let's get a few more hours of sleep and handle this tomorrow. You both look like you are about to keel over."

"You don't look so good yourself, dear," Regina retorted, but she gave a weak smile.

Zelena headed for the door. "I assume you know the way out, Pirate?" Her voice lacked its usual sarcastic bite.

It was a moment before he responded. "Actually, Love," he began, "would you mind terribly if I found a piece of carpet somewhere and called it a bed for the night?" He looked over at her, his tired eyes giving his inquiry the hint of begging that he refused to add to his words.

Zelena sighed. Her home was becoming an inn. But really, underneath it all, she didn't mind so much. She was glad to help, and glad they trusted her enough to. "That's fine," she answered, and then she left the room, eager to return to her own bed.

Regina narrowed her eyes at the pirate. "That certainly doesn't extend to _this_ room, Hook" she said. She didn't care if his girlfriend was asleep in this room; it was also the room in which she planned to sleep. Besides—she watched the man exit the room with one last wistful look at Emma—right now, she was the one Emma needed.

She considered returning to the chair—to Emma, but her mind was so fatigued she imagined it must have been mush by that point. She was also quite certain people would begin to question things more than they already were. Yes, she and Emma were friends, but neither woman was a very touchy person, not even so much with their significant others. And besides, she was beginning to feel lost—confused. Reality was becoming muddled, as were her emotions. She needed some real sleep, and some time to clear her head.

So instead of returning to the chair, she made herself somewhat comfortable on the couch and forced herself to fall asleep there, watching Emma from across the room. Sleep came easier this time, because when she closed her eyes, she could feel the Savior there with her, her heart beating within her.


	13. Episode 13: Excavation

EPISODE 13: EXCAVATION

"Good morning, My King," greeted the Evil Queen with a confident smirk as Mr. Hyde began to awaken in the large bed they had taken to sharing. At least, it was the bed they shared until he exhausted himself to sleep, and then she would wander off to another room. She certainly wasn't about to make a habit of staying all night with the man, and she _certainly_ wasn't going to stick around for a cuddle.

She spun around from where she sat at a desk reading through an interesting magic book they had found. She stood, resting her hands on her seductive hips.

"Ah, My Queen," he greeted in return, running his eyes over her curves. "Care to join me?" he asked with a smirk of his own.

She laughed. "Don't you have a staff to find?"

"Yes," he agreed. "But I can think of something much more fun to do before I make my way around the rabble today." His eyes were hungry.

She gave him a quick and evil grin, her dark eyes flashing. "I suppose," she acquiesced, and with a flick of her wrist Hyde found himself tied to the bed frame. She noted the lecherous way the man gazed upon her body and licked her lips—she was thoroughly enjoying her new toy.

* * *

Hook was lying on the floor in the small living room, grumbling to himself for letting Regina send him away like that. Yeah, sure, he was the extra guest, and yes, this was Regina's sister's home, but Emma was _his_ girlfriend.

He knew he was being unreasonable, and he knew from where this anger stemmed, but he tried hard not to think about it. He tried not to think about his growing feeling of inadequacy with Emma. He tried hard not to think about that tension, that spark between the two fiery women. He tried especially hard not to think about Regina in there holding his girlfriend's hand with that damned peaceful expression on her face.

He rolled onto his side and tried to make himself comfortable with one of the small pillows he had taken off of the couch.

 _Poor Belle_ , he thought, looking across the small distance between him and the sleeping woman, her form an alluring mix of shadow and light from the small lamp in the room.

 _I can see why the Crocodile fell for you,_ he found himself thinking. She was a very beautiful woman, with her shy smile, her bright, kind eyes, and those long lashes.

With a sigh, the pirate closed his eyes and went to sleep, dreaming of the sea.

* * *

Seven days after Emma was put under the sleeping curse, Regina awoke to her sister shaking her gently on the shoulder, just as she had done ever since she and Hook had found her in that very spot. It had been an unspoken agreement between them, one for which Regina was quite grateful.

On the first day, Henry had seen her hold Emma's hand as she slept, but the lovely boy hadn't commented. She had an inkling Snow had realized she hadn't slept on the couch, too. On the second day, both the damned pirate and her sister had pulled her from a deep sleep with Emma.

On the third, it had just been Zelena, and since then, Zelena had been sure to come to wake Regina before anyone else showed up.

"The others will be here soon," Zelena informed her sleepy sister. She stood at the window, looking out at the dawnlit forest surrounding her home. "You best wake up, go shower, all that good stuff." She flashed her sister a smile.

Regina was not fully awake yet, but tried her best to smile back. The result was a mess, a sloppy smile and out of focus eyes—and expression that nearly made Zelena laugh out loud. She refrained. Typically, she would have laughed quite easily at her sister. Even though they had made up, it was still fun to antagonize one another every so often. But with this particular situation with Emma, whatever it was, Zelena knew better.

She was also worried. She had long since realized that even though Regina was sleeping at night, the rest hardly seemed to revitalize her at all. It went beyond simply being unable to sleep properly because she was sleeping in a chair. It was as though she wasn't really sleeping at all.

What Zelena didn't know, is that her suspicions were right. Each night Regina joined Emma in her dreams, as she had promised, to give the Savior some respite from her nightmares.

Emma's torment came in many forms, and so when Regina arrived, her first actions were always a little different. Finding Emma, calming her down somehow—it changed from night to night. But afterwards was always the same; they would sit together, Regina would pull Emma into her arms, and Emma would fall sleep.

This was another unspoken agreement that Regina had—this one with Emma. They didn't talk about what was going on, they never acknowledged that this level of comfort with one another went far beyond anything they had before, they just huddled together each night in silence, or making small talk, until Emma fell asleep.

"Thanks, Zelena," Regina yawned. She stood and made her way into the bathroom to prepare herself for the day.

By the time she was back in the room the Charmings and the pirate had arrived and were seated around Emma. The Charmings in particular looked as though they were holding on to their last bit of hope with all their strength.

Except for Henry. The boy still managed to keep a smile on his face, which was a great source of strength for his grandparents. Regina, on the other hand, was fairly certain he was putting on a show. She was proud of him for his strength, but she watched him carefully, waiting for any indication that she needed to swoop in to comfort her son.

They all greeted her quietly as she entered the room, and she gave them a small greeting in return. Energy was low these days, even with the Charmings and Henry trying to stay positive.

"So, how did it go?" Regina asked as she took a seat on the small couch, crossing her ankles.

David sighed. "We couldn't really find anything useful at Gold's, but, I mean…"

"We don't exactly know what to look for, either," Snow finished. "But it definitely seems like he hasn't been there in a while, so we still don't know where he is."

Zelena entered the room with a small greeting of her own and came to stand next to her sister, but not before not-so-subtley handing a chocolate bar to Henry.

Regina scoffed.

"What, I can't give my nephew a treat?" Zelena inquired with an innocent smile, not meeting Regina's gaze.

Regina rolled her eyes. She would have to say something to Zelena in private about not spoiling her son, because right now Henry looked genuinely happy and Regina wasn't about to say something to upset him. Besides, it warmed her heart to see them bonding, a sentiment that Snow and David certainly shared, judging by their smiles, even if they still watched Zelena a bit warily at times.

David was bouncing his leg anxiously, and when Snow shot him a look, he decided to speak his mind.

"All right," he said, "give me another shot at interrogating him." He stood up quickly.

He was anxious to get some information out of Hyde's minion, anything of use. So far all they knew was that he was left behind to manage things (a task in which he had failed, spectacularly), which meant that Hyde and the Evil Queen were elsewhere. That wasn't even new news, he had admitted as much when Regina and Zelena had first run into him at the office.

Snow grabbed onto David's arm and pulled him back down into the chair beside her. "I don't think that's such a wise idea," she said with a sheepish smile.

"You Charming lot are likely to kill the worm before we get any useful information out of him," Zelena scolded. "Snow, you've already stuck him with what, two, three arrows? And David, you almost ran him through with your sword the last time you went down there."

Snow pouted, Henry chuckled under his breath, and David scowled, muttering something about the cretin making a comment about his wife.

Regina rolled her eyes again. She seemed to do this a lot when in the presence of Emma's family. _Those fools are a bad influence on my son,_ she thought, but she couldn't even convince herself that this was true, not when she had to bite her own tongue to hold back a smile.

"How about I give it another go," menaced the pirate as he ran a finger over his hook.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, either," Regina sneered. "What has it come to when the two of _us_ ," she gestured at Zelena and herself, "are holding the lot of _you_ back from murderous intentions?"

"We wouldn't murder him," Snow huffed, but even she knew her patience was running very low. She was desperate to have her daughter back, awake.

"I could try," Henry mumbled, staring intently down at his sleeping mother. He was the only one who hadn't been given a chance to interrogate Hyde's minion, and with reason. Interrogation at this point was pretty much torture, and Regina didn't much want her son going down that path.

"Henry, we've talked about this."

"I know Mom, but…"

"Henry," Snow interrupted, "your mom is right. Look at what it's done to the rest of us already. It's just not a good idea."

Henry pouted quietly but said nothing more.

"Zelena and I will try again today," Regina declared, giving Henry a promising smile when he looked her way.

Zelena looked a bit taken aback at being volunteered, but she quickly nodded. "I'm sure the two of us will be able to break him." She said, emphasizing the word break with a quick grin.

 _I'm not sure the two of us are any better than the others,_ Regina thought, shaking her head at her sister.

"Whose turn is it to run to Granny's for lunch?" David asked as Zelena and Regina stood.

"That would be me," offered the pirate. He turned to Henry, "Would you like to join me, Lad?" he asked with his charismatic smile.

Henry looked to Regina for permission, and when she gave a curt nod of approval, he agreed heartily. He loved his grandparents, but they were smothering him with their affection, doubly so because their infant son was staying elsewhere for safety, and triply so because their daughter was under a curse.

"David and I will head back to the library then," Snow offered, and David agreed with a charming smile.

"Surely we'll find something today," David added, more to convince himself than anyone else.

* * *

The two wicked sisters had pushed themselves to the limit of their power, torturing their prisoner, healing him, and torturing him again. Of course, they hid their fatigue. In fact, they looked as flawless as usual, two power-house women hell-bent on destruction—only this time they fought for a righteous cause.

Even if their methods were a bit...less than virtuous.

The man had already been on his last leg. He had barely been fed, and he had little for amenities in his cell in the middle of the room. He had started off strong, so much so that Regina was somewhat impressed. If she were the Evil Queen she would have made him one of her top men, but now…now she was Regina, and he had information that she needed.

Being just Regina had proven to be a little challenging, especially with this particular task. It turns out, having darkness in one's heart wasn't a bad tool for torturing someone for information. At first, she had found the task difficult, but then she had learned to draw on something else for her power—her desire to protect her loved ones and her promise to Emma to free her from her curse.

So they had singed him, seared him, and tore him apart, only to put him back together again just enough to survive. His pain was constant, and it was tremendous.

Finally, he broke.

He told them everything he knew. He told them about how his master and the Evil Queen had gone back to Hyde's land, and how they planned to merge realms. He told them about Hyde's plans to rule as king, and how he suspected the Evil Queen would rule beside him.

He told them about how Gold had been tricked because Hyde needed three different staves to complete the ritual. He told them that there was no other way to wake someone from a sleeping curse. He told them about how close Hyde and the Evil Queen had become before they left. He told them everything in one long rambling torrent, and then collapsed unconscious on the ground.

Regina stumbled back up the stairs to his greasy peals of laughter. Her ears rang and her equilibrium was off. She nearly fell through the front door and into the fresh air outside, breathing it in deeply, willing her quivering stomach to still itself.

Images of herself—her other self—bedding that brute Hyde flashed through her mind and her stomach heaved. She winced and bit her tongue, holding back. It couldn't be known for sure, but it was implied, and she knew herself well enough to know that it was a solid possibility.

And this was her town! No disgusting brute of a creature was going to take that away from her. No dark shadow of her past was going to take that away from her. She built this town with her own tears, her own blood and loss. It was hers, for her and her family and friends—how dare they think to take over.

But more than all of that, crawling around inside of her, was something else entirely. _There's no other cure for the curse. There's no one to wake Belle._

 _There's no one to wake Emma. I promised…I promised, and I failed._

* * *

"Good morning, My Queen," greeted Mr. Hyde with a yawn as he sat up in bed.

The Evil Queen sat across the room at a small desk applying her make-up in a small compact mirror. She looked back at him through the mirror and greeted him return with a curt nod. She had been up for a while already, always one to rise early and get things done. His flippant way of handling his power had been a bit aggravating.

But still, she stuck by him. For now. He had the key to a new kingdom for her to rule, and he was exciting in bed, at least. She had needs, after all.

"You'll be finding the second staff today, I presume?" she drawled somewhat disinterestedly. Thus far, he had been having a more difficult time than expected procuring Rafiki's staff, but he was adamant that it was here somewhere, in this land of his.

He rose from the bed with a smirk, wrapping the sheet around his waist. "I will certainly try, my Queen."

She bristled. "Try?" she sneered. To try simply wasn't good enough. She was a Queen, and when she wanted something, she would get it. "Seven days. That's how long you've had. You will not _try_ , you will find it, and you will give me a kingdom."

"Patience, My Queen," he bowed. "I will find it, you have my word." He made his way to where she was seated and bent low, moving to kiss her neck.

Before his lips made contact, she was gone in a quick, graceful sweep, walking away. "I get the impression," she said in a lofty tone, "that you aren't making too much of an effort." She raised her brow accusingly at him.

His terrifying grin spread wide and he chased after her in long, powerful strides, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "Perhaps not," he sneered, "but how can you blame me when I've got his beautiful woman here with me." He moved to kiss her neck again and this time she didn't pull away. Flattery was, at times, effective.

Still, she wasn't a patient woman, so after a moment she did pull away. "Be that as it may, you will find the staff today." It was a deep throated command, the likes of which would have had her soldiers in the Enchanted Forest scrambling.

But Hyde just stood his ground with a confident smirk. "And if I don't, Your Majesty?"

She had enough of his overconfidence. "Then I shall rip out your heart," she snarled, and she meant it.

He closed his eyes and chuckled, much to her annoyance. "My Queen," he said in a voice far too soft and genuine under its gravelly tone for her liking. It simply didn't fit the brutish man.

"You've already stolen my heart."

At that comment it was she who laughed, her sharp, loud tones echoing in the room. In the past, when there was still a little bit of Regina inside her, maybe then his affections would have stirred something within her. But now, no—now they amused her and irritated her down to her core.

"You will erase those thoughts from your mind at once," she commanded, "and you will find the staff. I could be ripping out the hearts of my enemies and setting their little town ablaze, but you promised me a kingdom, and so here I am. But I am _not_ patient, and I _will_ have my fun one way or another."

He studied the woman before her, noting the haughty way she stood, with her shoulders back and her head high, and he saw the darkness in her eyes. He knew she meant her threat, and yet she entranced him.

At the same time, however, this was _his_ kingdom, first and foremost, and she would have to learn her place. But for now…

"As you wish, Your Majesty."


	14. Episode 14: Premonition

EPISODE 14: PREMONITION

The crew, except for Regina, was at Granny's for lunch. Zelena had volunteered to stay behind with Emma and Belle, but Regina wanted to give her this chance to further improve relations with the others, so she volunteered instead.

Henry sat across from Charming, discussing their most recent sword practice. He had gotten quite good, according to his grandfather. Next he was going to learn how to shoot a bow.

Snow and Zelena sat at the end of the booth with their respective children, talking about their infants in joyful, proud voices. Zelena had really taken to being a mother, and Snow was actually pretty impressed with how well the former Wicked Witch was handling her motherly duties. She also knew how hard it was to be away from one's baby, so she had been the one to suggest that they get their children for the day. It seemed relatively low-risk, since the Evil Queen and Hyde still hadn't returned to Storybrooke.

Hook, the odd one out now that Zelena was around, had pulled up a chair to join the others, sitting at the very end of the booth.

He was currently making funny faces at Neal and Little Robin, alternating between the two, much to the mothers' amusement.

"I thought I was going to find sitting next to you little tykes irritating, that's right Lad, I did," he said, tweaking Neal's little toes, "but you're not so bad. And you, Lass," he turned to Little Robin, "you're a little heartbreaker, aren't you, looking at me with those pretty green eyes." He tickled her tummy.

Snow and Zelena seemed to be the only ones, other than the children themselves, to notice the pirate's behavior, and both women fought not to laugh at how absurd the image was. Still, they had to admit, he was good with the kids.

It was nice to have some semblance of normalcy, but Emma and Belle were still foremost in their thoughts.

* * *

Regina was sitting on her desk with her legs crossed in front of her, the toned muscles showing under her pencil skirt. She leaned back and unbuttoned the top few buttons of her white shirt. Her jacket had already been tossed aside.

"Regina," Robin breathed, stepping closer and claiming her lips with his own. He kissed his way across her jaw and down her neck.

"Mmm," she moaned, closing her eyes.

Robin pulled back and Regina opened her eyes to see what was wrong, but instead of the man standing there before her, she saw the sparking green eyes of Emma Swan.

In her mind she screamed and threw herself off of the desk, but what actually happened was something else.

Emma Swan bit her own bottom lip as her eyes gazed over Regina's. The sight ignited something inside of Regina, and she was suddenly even more invested in this little fantasy.

 _Wait, wait, no. This isn't right. This should be Robin._ Regina closed her eyes and willed herself to think of her fallen love, and when she opened them again, she was happy to see him back before her, with his hands cupping her head and his lips pressed to hers.

Regina pulled the man closer and deepened the kiss, wanting more. She leaned in and nipped him on the neck, eliciting a husky gasp that certainly did not come from a man.

She pulled back in shock. "Miss Swan!"

Emma gave a cocky smile. "Yes, Madam Mayor? How may I be of service?" Emma's eyes darkened with a hunger and Regina's breath hitched.

When no answer came, Emma continued. "Come on, Madam Mayor, you've never been shy to order me around before…" she put her hands on Regina's knees and spread them slowly, placing herself between them, closer to the older woman, and leaning in to nibble at the sensitive skin of her neck. She nipped her way to Regina's ear and whispered, in a low and sultry voice, "I'm at your command, My Queen."

Regina moaned despite herself.

 _No! Robin. I want Robin. That is my command._

Robin was once again before her, his large, rough hands roaming across her thighs. She smiled at him and ran her fingers through his hair.

He smiled back and dipped his fingers under her shirt, sliding his hands up her sides. She closed her eyes in anticipation and gasped in pleasure when hands cupped her breasts.

But wait, those hands were suddenly smaller, softer. Her eyes fluttered open again. "Miss Swan!" she shouted once more.

"Yes?" Emma purred, peering into Regina's eyes with her own ravenous green hues. "Is this not to your liking, Madam Mayor?" she asked as she pinched a nipple through Regina's lacey bra.

The moan that escaped Regina's lips was confession enough that it certainly _was_ to her liking, but that was the problem.

Emma leaned in and claimed Regina's mouth hungrily with her own, biting Regina's bottom lip and running her tongue over the sensitive area her teeth left behind. Her hands pulled at Regina's hips, teasingly dipping lower.

Regina closed her eyes and tried to think of Robin, the one who should be there with her, her soul mate, but each time she opened her eyes she was met by the hungry gaze of Emma Swan once again.

With a sigh that was half-moan, she gave up and gave in to the desire that was taking over as Emma tugged expectantly at her skirt, wanting access.

Regina lifted herself off the desk and let her sultry swan remove her skirt, and then her panties, and was then pleasantly surprised when the Savior wrapped her arms around her and lifted her back up onto the desk. In a flurry Emma's fingers worked to undo the rest of the buttons on Regina's shirt, and soon that was tossed to the side as well.

She had given in to this fantasy of hers, but she planned to let everything happen to her without much input of her own. That resolution was short lived, however. As Emma teased Regina's entrance with a soft, elegant finger, her mind went hazy, filled with a hunger of her own, one that demanded more than just her own satisfaction.

She gazed at Emma with a fire in her eyes, wanting to kiss her, bite her, claim her, and make her scream her name. With a flick of her wrist, Emma was just as naked as she, and instead of standing there shy or surprised, as Regina had anticipated, she stepped back with her hands on her hips.

"Like what you see?" she asked with a smirk.

 _Oh yes._ Regina slid off the desk and closed the distance between them, pulling Emma close and relishing the feel of their naked bodies pressed together.

She pushed Emma gently in the direction of the couch, pushing her over the back so the blonde tumbled over and found herself sprawled out across the cushions with one leg hung over the back of the couch.

Regina walked around the couch with a seductive sway in her hips and a grin on her lips. "You always were a clumsy one, Miss Swan."

Emma's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. "We'll see about that," she teased, reaching up and grabbing Regina's hand. She gave the raven-haired woman a quick tug, pulling the woman unceremoniously on top of her.

With a squeal Regina fell, finding herself nestled between the blonde's breasts. Emma laughed, and her laughter made Regina smile.

 _This is strange_ , a part of her thought, _how did this go from such a lust-filled fantasy to this?_

The fantasy quickly returned to the level of heat it had possessed moments before when Emma shifted her leg to rest between Regina's, moving it slowly against the older woman. Regina hissed and then moaned, grinding herself against Emma in return. Emma pulled Regina down and gave her right nipple a quick lick before taking it into her mouth, all the while teasing the other nipple with her fingers.

"Mmm, Emma…"

Emma smiled against the other woman's breast and slid her other hand slowly down Regina's stomach and, pulling her own leg away, between her thighs. Regina's heart was pounding in anticipation and she found herself digging her nails into the blonde's shoulders.

"Regina," a voice called out.

Emma moaned at the feel of Regina's nails clinging at her skin. She teased Regina, dipping her fingers closer and closer before trailing them away again.

"Regina, food's here."

 _What?_ Emma was pulling away, looking as confused as Regina felt.

"You're a pretty useless guard, you know."

 _Who dares insult me? Don't leave, Emma._

"Regina, come on!"

* * *

Regina slowly opened her eyes, aware of the heat in her cheeks and between her legs. She glanced across the room to see her sister standing in the doorway wearing a look somewhere between being amused and irritated.

She pulled herself to her feet and brushed passed her sister without a word, blushing even harder at the knowing smirk Zelena gave her as she passed.

 _What the hell is wrong with me…?_

She took her time eating the salad her sister had brought her, mostly because it seemed like Zelena wanted to pick her brain about something, but it seemed like she was at least going to wait until she was done eating.

The moment she set down her fork Zelena opened her mouth, but she was quickly interrupted by the sudden appearance of a cloud of smoke signaling the arrival of Mr. Gold.

"Rumple," Zelena greeted coldly. "How nice of you to pop in."

"Ladies," he said simply, joining his hands together before him, "I'm here to see my wife."

"By all means," Regina sneered. "She's right where you left her."

Gold stiffened at the subtle accusation and made his way into the next room as the sisters followed him. He noticed a storybook on the table next to the couch: _The King of Thieves_ , and briefly wondered if it was what Belle was reading before remembering that that wasn't possible.

"I've been doing my own research," he explained, "and I do believe I know exactly what Hyde and his mistress are up to."

Regina grimaced at his insinuation and even Zelena looked displeased.

"We already know what they're doing," said the emerald sister with disdain.

He actually looked surprised, turning away from gazing down at Belle to look at them instead. "Oh?"

They sat down on some chairs and told him about the plan to merge realms, to have a new kingdom to rule, verifying all the information that he had gathered as well.

"So, have you come up with a plan?" he asked.

"We're waiting for the others to arrive to make any decisions," Regina answered tiredly.

Gold chuckled. "You once made your own decisions, and now you wait around for the very people you once despised."

Regina's first instinct was to make up some excuse, like that she was really just waiting for Henry, since Emma was his mother. Her second instinct was to send the man through the wall.

Instead, she took a deep breath. "Well, some of us are capable of change."

Zelena chuckled and Gold sneered. "Just because I refuse to give up my power doesn't mean I haven't changed." He turned away from them and focused instead on his wife.

Regina saw the love in his eyes and knew that he wasn't wrong, he had changed. But it simply wasn't enough. He was also pushing Belle away with his unwillingness to give up his power.

 _I would give up my power in a heartbeat for my loved ones_ , she thought, thinking about Henry's smile and Emma's green eyes.

The others soon arrived at the house with Henry leading the pack.

The boy burst excitedly through the door (Regina would have to remind him about his manners later) to tell his mother about the day's hero practice with David, but he stopped in his tracks when he saw Mr. Gold.

"Oh, hey Grandpa," he greeted with an uneasy smile.

Regina nearly shuddered. She hated knowing that her beloved son was related by blood to the very man who had manipulated her to walk down her dark path. It seemed like the people she cared most in the world all came from her enemies: Henry came from Gold and Emma, and Emma came from Leopold and the Charmings.

They really did live strange lives.

"Henry," Gold greeted the boy with a smile. "Good to see you. How are your lessons going?"

Henry raised a brow, unsure of how Gold knew about his lessons, but he figured that this was Rumpelstiltskin he was talking to and it was better not to think about it. "Great!" Henry answered, launching into a rambling story of everything he had been learning as his other grandparents, Hook, and even Dr. Jekyl entered the home.

"We figured he should help since he knows Hyde best," Snow explained when she noticed the questioning look Regina was giving them.

Regina nodded to show her understanding and soon the planning was underway as the crew all cramped together in Zelena's living room with the sleeping Belle.

Hook hung back, not wanting to face Gold. He had a feeling the man might see the past week somehow and see that Hook had taken to camping out on Zelena's floor in that very room, and that he had also taken to reading stories to Belle before he fell asleep.

The discussion soon turned into a rather heated argument, with half of the group wanting to hunt down the Evil Queen and Hyde as soon as possible in the Land Without Color, and the other half wanting to stay back in the land they knew, preparing for the battle ahead of them, unwilling to leave the two women under the sleeping curse.

The debate lasted a few hours, until Gold finally stood and said, "Enough, here's what we're going to do…" Even though he was the least trusted member of the group, everyone still listened to what he had to say. His knowledge was undeniable, and nobody else seemed to have any truly solid plans.

"I've been doing some research of my own," he said, "and I think," he glanced at Belle, "that I might be on to something about breaking curses. It's…it's a long shot, admittedly, but it might be something."

Regina's heart skip a beat as she thought of Emma and the others looked hopeful as well.

"I make no promises," he added solemnly, "but I want to find a cure too, so I promise I will do everything I can. Give me a few more days, and if I haven't found anything by then, we make an attack of our own. In the meantime, I suggest you develop some sort of contingency plan for if they show up, and a plan for if we make the first move."

It was a nice middle ground, and the prospect of finding a way to break the curse was foremost in everyone's mind, so they agreed to hold tight for a few more days.

* * *

That night, after everyone else had left and the women had gone to bed, Hook sat against the couch reading to Belle. He had brought a new book this night, one called _Sleeping Beauty_ , for the title seemed fitting.

He got to the middle of the book before drifting off to sleep himself.

When he awoke, (or so he thought), he found himself at the border of an impossibly dark forest, and he knew that somewhere inside was a sleeping princess that he had to rescue with true love's kiss.

He took off into the woods with a lantern held high in one hand and a sword in his other, thinking only briefly about where they had come from and not even noticing that he suddenly had both of his hands. He came across many obstacles: wraiths, goblins, ogres, and even a dragon, but he defeated them with ease.

He knew he was close, as if his heart was linked to the princess he sought. She was just a bit further, and soon he stepped into a quiet clearing with a ray of sunlight shining down before him onto the visage of his sleeping princess.

It was Belle.

He stepped closer, his heart beating loudly in his chest. There was something fuzzy at the very edge of his thoughts, something that said this wasn't quite right. But he was convinced it was—he was the hero and this was his princess to save.

He closed the rest of the distance and looked down at the beautiful sleeping woman, reaching down to brush a rogue piece of hair out of her face. Then he leaned down and kissed her gently.

She awoke with an endearing smile. "Killian," she whispered softly, "you saved me."

Hook awoke with a start, jolting upright and looking wildly about the room. In one swift movement he was on his feet and turned around, looking warily down at Belle. His heart thumped almost painfully in his chest, a mixture of exhilaration and guilt. His girlfriend was in the other room—so why was he dreaming about Belle?

Yet, as he gazed down at the sleeping woman, he found himself drawn to her. Perhaps it was his sleepy state, or perhaps it was something more. Either way, it was as if he acted on impulse, on instinct. He leaned down, brushing a rogue piece of hair out of her face, just like in the dream, and kissed her gently.

His heart nearly stopped completely when Belle's eyes fluttered open.


	15. Episode 15: Shift

EPISODE 15: SHIFT

Snow was lying in bed with David, with her head rested on his chest and his arm around her shoulder. She sighed. "Charming, you awake?" she whispered.

"Hm?" he responded, only half awake.

"What if-what if we don't find a way to wake her?" she asked softly. Tears began to fill her eyes.

"Snow, you can't think like that," he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "You have to have hope. She's the Savior, and our daughter, there's no way she'll be under the curse forever." But he was frowning, unsure of his own words, and had to fight off tears of his own.

"I miss her," she sniffed.

"I know," he whispered, "me too."

Henry was listening carefully from where he lay on the couch, his own face etched with a deep frown. He could hear the despair in his grandparents' voices, and if Snow White and Prince Charming were losing hope, things were definitely bad.

He tried to have faith in his other grandfather to find something, but everything they had all been through, all of the sleeping curses they had seen, he felt pretty certain that there simply wasn't another cure. If his mom was going to wake up from her curse, it was going to be by true love's kiss.

He thought about Hook and his failed attempt to wake the Savior, trying to decipher his own feelings about the man and the situation. He liked Hook all right. The pirate didn't treat him as much like a child as the others did, and he had taught Henry how to sail. He was a good fatherly figure, or maybe something like an uncle.

But when Henry really thought about it, he agreed with his other mother. Something about the man just didn't seem good enough for his mom. It wasn't his history as a villain, as Henry certainly knew how to forgive someone's past, but it was something else. He knew Emma could be difficult, and he knew she had heavy defenses. He also recognized just how far Hook had gone in bringing those defenses down. But…when things were actually calm in Storybrooke and Hook and Emma really got to spend some 'normal' time together, well, Henry just didn't see that spark of happiness he expected from two people in love.

"Who is your true love, mom?" he whispered to himself. There had to be someone, there just had to be. He had the heart of the truest believer, and part of that meant believing in magic like true love. _But who…?_

* * *

"How are we supposed to face this new big bad without you, Emma? You're the Savior." Regina sighed. She was sitting in the chair next to Emma's bed with her knees up to her chest, resting her head on her arms wrapped around them.

She needed to talk to Emma, because Emma was the one who always made Regina feel like things would be all right. "I wonder what you'll think when you realize how I join you in your dreams," she mumbled as she linked her fingers with the sheriff's. "Maybe you don't need to find out." Frowning, she made herself as comfortable as she could and closed her eyes.

This time she found herself at the wrought-iron gates of a cemetery. She entered with a worried frown, looking around for the dreamer. Stone slabs marked numerous graves, and as Regina walked further into the hallowed grounds she read some of the names, recognizing some of them as residents of Storybrooke.

A little further in she could see around the brick mausoleum in the center of the graveyard, and there she could see Emma, sitting on the ground with her head buried in her knees. Regina made her way in that direction, and soon noticed the names carved onto the stones that Emma was closest to: Emma's closest family and friends. Her mother, her father, Hook, Belle, Ruby… the list went on, Regina found her own name there as well, right next to the grave before which Emma sat: Henry Mills.

The sight was nearly enough to knock Regina off her feet. She blinked, forcing away any impending tears, and sat next to her friend.

"It's not real, Emma," she said, staring at the heart-wrenching grave before her.

"I know," Emma mumbled, but she kept her head buried. She sniffed. "But it feels so real. This nightmare is one I have all the time, even before…even before the curse."

Regina furrowed her brow and wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders. "You won't let us die," she whispered.

Emma sobbed. "Everyone almost dies all the time, and you know you're wrong. I have let people die. Graham, Neal, Hook, Cruella… People die and it's my fault."

"Emma Swan," Regina commanded, turning to face Emma, and Emma pulled her head out of her arms and looked over at Regina, somewhat alarmed. "Death is a natural part of life. I know you think you're supposed to save everyone—that you should be able to, because you're the savior, but the fact of the matter is, sometimes people die."

Emma gulped passed the lump in her throat.

"You're the one that taught me how to move on. You can't let the past rule you, and you can't let fear of the future rule you either." Regina looked away, back towards the graves. "I have spent so much of my life thinking about what happened, what could happen…but you taught me to think about what _is_ happening—what I have right now. Right now, these people are alive, and they need you, Emma." She looked towards the Savior again.

Emma stared back quietly, her crying stopped. "What am I supposed to do, Regina? I'm under a curse. I'm useless."

Regina shook her head. "You aren't useless. I'll…I'll…" Regina flushed and looked away. "I'll fight for you," she said, "You-you give me strength."

Emma smiled and leaned into her friend. "Well, you give me strength, too. These nightmares, I feel like they'd break me without you. I'm not sure how the others seem to be okay once they wake up."

Regina rested her cheek on Emma's head. "They don't have quite the history you do, Emma. They have nightmares, sure, but I doubt they're anywhere near what you are going through."

Emma breathed and closed her eyes, melting into Regina's embrace. "I don't want to be asleep any longer, Gina," she mumbled, "I want to be awake. I want to help you fight the Evil Queen."

Regina bit her tongue. "I have to tell you something. They found the staff, and we…we tried to wake you with it, but, well, it didn't work." She held her breath as she waited for a response.

Emma was quiet. She was quiet for so long that Regina's chest began to burn.

"Okay," she said at last.

 _Okay? That's it, just okay?_ Regina wanted to push for more, but that didn't seem fair. She wanted to know what Emma was thinking, but figured she was probably feeling quite hopeless.

She needed to say something to give her hope. "Gold says he might be onto something else," she said, "something to cure the curse. So don't give up hope yet."

Emma shifted her weight and let herself slide to the ground, resting her head in Regina's lap. "I haven't given up hope," she whispered sleepily, "but Gold won't find anything." She yawned.

 _That's quite the contradiction,_ Regina thought with a frown. "I don't understand," she mumbled.

"There's no way to break a sleeping curse, other than true love's kiss," Emma explained. She kept her eyes closed and Regina was sure she'd soon drift off to sleep. But first, she needed answers.

"So then…" she wasn't sure if she really wanted to push the subject, "how can you be hopeful? Hook…"

"Isn't my true love," Emma answered matter-of-factly. "That doesn't mean I don't have one." Emma sighed and shifted to lie on her back, opening her eyes to look up at Regina. "I don't know," she said, holding her hands together and resting them on her stomach.

"My mind is telling me how ridiculous I'm being. It's telling me how hopeless this all is, that I'm trapped. But my heart, I can't explain it Regina, but it's warm and so full of love and hope…" she blushed and smiled sheepishly, feeling a bit foolish for admitting these feelings out loud.

Regina brought her hand to her chest. She still hadn't told Emma that she carried her heart there.

"I just," Emma continued, "I just _know_. Does that make sense? I just know that there is someone out there who can kiss me back awake…" A single tear escaped her eye.

Regina wiped the tear away with her thumb. "I understand," she answered softly. "I think you're right."

Emma smiled wide, a sight to behold in her realm of nightmares. "Does that mean you think you might still have a true love out there, too?"

 _Emma, Emma, Emma,_ Regina thought, _Do you even think before you speak? I_ _just_ _lost Robin._ She knew, of course, that Emma often acted without thinking thing through. In the past, if someone had been this presumptive with Regina, she would have been furious, but somehow, right now with Emma, she wasn't bothered at all.

"Maybe," she answered, surprising herself by admitting it out loud. "I mean, I miss Robin every day, and I truly do believe he was my soul mate, but I've also been thinking…I'm not so sure that a person only has one soulmate, and I'm not so sure that soulmates are always someone's true love."

Emma raised a brow, urging Regina to continue.

"I think maybe soul mates are important people in our lives that help shape who we are, like Daniel, like Robin… Like Neal and Hook, for you." She wondered if now she wasn't the one being too presumptive. She began absent-mindedly running her fingers through Emma's hair.

"Yeah," Emma answered, "that makes sense." Emma, comforted by Regina's fingers brushing through her hair, found it more and more difficult to keep open her sleepy eyes, so she gave in and closed them to rest. "You know," she mumbled, holding back a yawn, "if soul mates are the fate-driven sort of relationships they seem to be," she thought about Tinkerbell and the fairy dust, "I think…" she began to drift off to sleep, "you might…" her voice was barely a whisper now, "be mine…"

Regina stopped breathing. "Emma?" she whispered, but the blonde was fast asleep. She breathed out slowly and fought the urge to slip into an all-out panic. _What did you mean?_

She thought over it herself, considering the role of fate in her life. So much of what seemed like fate really boiled down to Rumpelstiltskin's conniving, but maybe there was more to it than that. Even he hadn't foreseen everything. He hadn't known that his own son was Henry's father.

It was an intricate web that brought her and Emma together, even more complicated than that which brought her and Robin together. But maybe Emma was right, maybe there was some fate in there. Regina could have killed baby Emma, but she was sent away instead, sent away to grow up and come into Regina's life as an adult, an adult who pulled Regina out of the darkness. They shared a son.

Maybe Emma was on to something. But is that all she meant?

 _Damnit Emma,_ Regina thought with a growl, _am I falling for you?_

She couldn't be. Fate or not, that simply couldn't be the case. Even if it could happen, she would ruin it. She was sure of it, and this was not a friendship she could risk losing. She needed Emma. Besides, she had never thought about Emma this way before.

 _That's a lie_. Of course she had. Even when they were still enemies and Regina had wanted the Savior gone, she had thought about it, just a little. She remembered the day when Henry was trapped in the mine and how Emma had urged her to put their differences aside to save him. She remembered that moment when she, so full of panic and gratitude towards the woman, had stepped in close and nearly kissed her before coming to her senses.

 _But still…that was just because emotions were high. This…these feelings-it's probably because I have Emma's heart. It's messing with me. I feel her with me constantly—that's bound to start messing with a person's emotions._

 _Right?_

She gave up trying to figure it out and tried instead to focus on coming up with a plan to stop Hyde and her other self. She had planned to ask Emma for her advice, but, as she glanced down at the woman sleeping peacefully in her lap, she decided that was out of the question.

* * *

"Ki-Killian?" Belle sat up and the pirate backed away quickly. "Where…where am I? Where's my father?"

Hook's heart was pounding and he could hear the blood rushing in his ear. "Zelena's house, Love," he muttered, looking at her with wide eyes. "Your father isn't here."

Belle looked around, her eyes flashing with confusion. "I don't understand. Where's Rumple? What happened with Hades? How…how am I awake?"

It took Hook a moment to find his voice, and when he did, he found it was weak and shaky. "Hades is dead. Rumple is…somewhere, trying to find a way to wake you. I-I…" he trailed off.

She stared up at him, trying to make sense of the situation, and he realized his legs were wobbly. Afraid they would give out, he sat down in a chair across from Belle.

"How am I awake, Killian?" she repeated, eyeing him warily. He was the only one in the room.

He gulped passed the lump in his throat but couldn't find the words.

"Was-was it you?" she asked softly.

He nodded.

"So," she trailed the word, "are…are you my true love?"

He nodded again, his expression rather blank.

"What about Rumple?" she whispered. "I thought…I kissed him once, and he started to change…"

Hook shook his head. "I don't know, Love," he said. "Maybe…maybe it can change over time, or maybe…you're his, but he isn't yours?" He shrugged, trying to lessen the tension in the room.

Belle's eyes gazed at Hook as she tried to comprehend all of this information, trying to settle the confusion in her pounding heart over her husband and the pirate. "I-I'm sorry," she began, rising to her feet, "I just, I just can't right now. I need to," she began to leave, "I need to go. Need to think."

Hook stood in a flash and chased after her, grabbing her arm. He quickly let go again when she flashed him a panicked look. "Wait," he said. "It's too dangerous. The Evil Queen and Hyde, they might be out there. You're safe here. I'll go. And…we can talk later, when you're ready?" It was more of a question than a statement.

Belle nodded dumbly. She had no idea what Hook meant about Hyde and the Evil Queen, but there were too many muddled thoughts in her brain to even formulate a question.

"Regina's down the hall, in the room on the right," he pointed across the kitchen towards the hallway. "You should go get her and talk to her."

Now she was even more confused. Hadn't he just said the Evil Queen might be outside, and a danger? But again, she didn't ask, and just nodded dumbly.

"I'll…be seeing you then," Hook said awkwardly, and then he left, opening and closing the door as quietly as he could. Outside, he took a deep breath of the cool night air before heading down the road.

Belle made her way across the dim kitchen and down the dark hall towards the room on the right. She could see the light shining under the door and thought that perhaps Regina was awake. She considered knocking, but thought that perhaps Zelena was sleeping somewhere in the house. The last she had known, Zelena was still on the opposite side.

 _What is going on…?_ she thought.

Instead of knocking, she pushed the door open slowly, shuddering when it creaked loudly. "Regina?" she called out softly, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind her.

There was a bed made up on the couch, but Regina wasn't there. She scanned the room quickly and found her curled up in the chair next to a sleeping Emma. The scene was enough to cause Belle's already confused brain to have a full-on shut-down.

With a mind devoid of any thoughts, she made her way across the room and shook Regina gently awake.

Regina awoke and opened her eyes, her pupils dilating and contracting as they tried to focus. "Belle?" she asked softly as her gaze settled on the woman hovering over her.

Her mind snapped awake and she turned her gaze to Emma, hoping that somehow she was awake, too. When she realized that the Savior slept still, she turned back to Belle. "How…?"

"Hook," she answered simply.

Regina's eyes went wide. "Oh," she said.

"Can you…" Belle began slowly, "can you please tell me what's going on?"

Regina had to think for a moment about what Belle was asking before realizing that the woman had been asleep for quite a while now. A lot had happened since then: Hades was gone, Zelena was on their side, she had split herself in two, Emma was cursed…

She nodded. "Let's go sit in the kitchen," she said, "There's a lot to catch you up on."


	16. Episode 16: False Start

EPISODE 16: FALSE START

"Henry, I can do this," Regina held her head tall as she assured her son, despite the doubt she harbored. "I can do this," she repeated, looking around Emma's room from one Charming to the next, and on to her sister.

"It's too dangerous," Snow declared, stepping forward to lessen the gap between her and Regina. Her eyes said the messages that couldn't find their way to her tongue, pleading with Regina to remember that they loved her and didn't want to lose her.

Regina looked away and sighed.

"Besides, Regina, it's light magic and…" David chirped uneasily.

"Listen," the raven haired woman interrupted. It was now or never. "I have a theory, and idea," she continued. Her confidence wavered and she immediately regretted her decision to open up about her thoughts. What would they think?

"I—I've been protecting Emma's heart, as you know," she continued; she couldn't back out now. They needed this. "And I thought that the safest way to do that was to, well…" The words didn't feel right, so she decided upon a different approach, reaching into her own chest and pulling out the heart that resided there.

There was a collective gasp across the room, for the heart she held was far too bright to be hers, even if she had cast away the darkness, and they could feel it, Emma's presence, radiating from the pulsing mass.

"You—," David began, about to question the whole ordeal, but his wife interrupted him.

"Where's your heart?" Snow asked, concerned, as if Regina having Emma's heart in her chest was not the strangest thing they had seen.

Though, considering everything they _had_ seen, maybe it really wasn't. But David glanced at his wife, trying to read her face. This was, after all, their once-enemy, the former Evil Queen, and the woman carried their daughter's heart as though it were a part of her.

"In the box," Regina answered simply, gesturing towards the couch with a nod of her head, desperately wanting to play the entire situation off as not being a big deal. She ignored Henry's enormous grin.

Zelena narrowed her eyes at the situation but wore a small smile, trying to ascertain every possible meaning beyond the obvious need to protect the heart. She had been watching her sister carefully for a while now, and had her suspicions. She hadn't brought them up again since the day in the car, however. But now they were stronger than ever as she watched her sister's confident, indifferent façade wavering under the eyes of Emma's family.

Henry and Zelena caught one another's eyes, and, upon seeing the knowing smile of the other, gave a small nod to one another. They would need to discuss this further when they had some time alone.

She was warming up to the kid more and more each day, especially since he was so wonderful with his niece when they'd go to visit the children.

"So," Henry joined in the conversation, making a guess at his mother's intentions, "because you have Mom's heart, you can do light magic?"

His mother's lips curled into a small smile. "I believe I can," she said, curling and uncurling her fingers. "It's a part of Emma, and I can sort of feel her with me." She didn't want to admit that she could do more than 'sort of' feel Emma—it was as if the sheriff was enveloping her at all times. The warmth was almost overwhelming.

Both Snow and David smiled at the idea of their daughter, the Savior, still looking after Regina even while under a curse.

"It could work," David said. "But even if you can do light magic—"

"It's still dangerous, you could," Snow continued.

"You could die, Mom," Henry finished.

Regina ran a hand through her once-again shorter locks (she had gone out for a haircut that morning, looking for any way to further distinguish herself from the Evil Queen), and began to pace the room.

"I have to do this," she concluded, adopting her regal, commanding tone, giving the others little room to argue. "I'm the only one who can, and I won't let her hurt any of you." Her eyes swept the room, taking in the people who had become her family in one way or another, including the sleeping Savior.

"Okay, Regina," Zelena agreed. "You prepare, and the rest of us will split up and gather the essentials." She gave her sister a warm smile before turning it to her son. "Henry, team up with me?"

* * *

Mr. Hyde walked through the hall with his mouth twisted into a disturbing grin, twirling a wooden staff in his hands. He reached his destination and threw open the door, stepping inside with a single long stride.

The Evil Queen was practicing her magic, determined to grow stronger than her other half. She held a fireball aloft and focused her energy into it, making it grow larger and more powerful to do her bidding.

"My Queen," Hyde snarled, holding the staff out before him, "I have found the staff, and soon you shall have your new kingdom."

She grinned and let the fireball fade. "Well, it's about time," she sneered happily. "I'm ready to inflict some of that chaos you promised me." Her mind flashed to Emma, the precious daughter of the woman she most despised. She was nearly giddy at the thought of Snow's broken heart at her daughter's cursed state.

She held Malificent's staff and he held Rafiki's, and they made their way back to the Land Without Magic.

Once back in Storybrooke, the Evil Queen looked around the place with a malicious glint in her eye. "You go do whatever it is you must do," she sneered at Hyde. "I've some of my own fun to have."

* * *

Regina sat on the couch in Emma's and looked over her friend as her mind went over their tentative plan. She would wield the light magic from Emma's heart and use it to cast the spell they had found, a spell to temporarily banish dark magic.

The others had gone out to gather the supplies and various ingredients they would need for the potion that she would need to take in order to enact the spell.

Henry had stayed behind with his mother, just in case. They were right when they had said that it was a dangerous spell. It required an immense amount of light magic, and even then, the risk was high. There was a very good chance that Regina would not survive, higher than she had even let on, but she needed to do this. She needed to protect her family, and she was certain that they would be able to finish the battle once she had put a pause on dark magic.

The boy had fallen asleep, leaning against Regina as she held him close. She had stopped herself from crying over three times in the past ten minutes and was failing once again as she pulled Henry even tighter. It was little Henry all over again, and as she thought over her years with her son she had to hold back a full-on sob.

It was clear he hadn't been sleeping well, as he had fallen asleep pretty quickly and now was snoring softly in a deep sleep.

The others would be back soon and then it would begin. They had considered waiting until Hyde and her counterpart had returned, but the evil duo couldn't risk them returning and doing something horrible before they realized they had returned. She would enact the spell as soon as possible.

She had tried to keep a brave face, but now that she was alone to her thoughts they began to turn against her. She couldn't fight away the fear that she wouldn't make it through this.

Her tears welled up again and she sighed as she wiped them away. She didn't want to die. She didn't want to leave behind the family and friends she now had, especially Henry. But, as she looked down at her son with a proud smile, she knew he would be all right. He was a strong boy and had a lot of people who loved him.

Still…

She was on the verge of hyperventilating, and despite it being the last thing she wanted to do, she extracted herself from her son and stood, pacing the room in an attempt to calm herself down.

As she ran a hand through her hair, she glanced down at Emma, feeling at once both even more panicked and calmer.

An overwhelming desire to say goodbye to her friend filled her, but there simply wasn't time to join Emma in her dream, not when the others would be back soon.

She felt a pang in her chest—if she did die, she'd be breaking her promise to Emma. Two promises. She had promised to be there every night, and she had promised to find a way to wake her friend.

She knelt down and grabbed Emma's hand, and whispered, "I'm sorry Emma. I might be able to come back to you."

Her heart fluttered uncomfortably and she brought Emma's hand to her lips, kissing her fingers gently, an act which surprised even herself. _What am I doing?_

She bit her lip. _I…I have to try. As ridiculous as it is, if I'm about to die, I have to try._

Her heart pounded against her ribs and she found it hard to breath. She glanced across the room at her son to ensure that he was still asleep, and then leaned down slowly.

 _You can do this, Regina,_ she assured herself. She had been a Queen and a feared, powerful woman. This simple act shouldn't have her so terrified.

With a gulp she closed her eyes and moved the rest of the distance, placing her lips on the Savior's in the softest of kisses before slowly pulling back away. She opened her eyes and scanned the sleeping woman for any sign of change.

None came.

Tears welled up in her eyes and her heart ached.

Her phone went off and, shocked, she answered it more quickly than she had meant. "Hello," her voice was empty.

As she listened to the person on the phone, she stared down at Emma with a heavy heart. She hadn't really expected the kiss to work (right?), and yet, the emptiness she felt now made her feel more tired than she had felt in years.

"Okay," she replied, "be right there."

She hung up and pocketed the phone with a sigh. She looked over at Henry and saw that he was still fast asleep. Not wanting to wake him, she wrote a note instead.

 _Henry,_

 _I've gone to meet the others at Granny's to get started on the potion. Don't worry, we won't go any further without you. When you wake up, text one of us as we'll come get you. Do not leave Zelena's alone._

 _Love,_

 _Regina Mills._

She left it on the end table near Henry, gave him a kiss on the cheek, gave Emma one final wistful look, and then left.

Once the front door had opened and shut, Henry opened a single eye to make sure the coast was clear. He stood and walked slowly over to his sleeping mother, gazing at her with a worried frown.

He had woken up when Regina had whispered to Emma, and had pretended to still be asleep to see what his mother was going to do. When Regina had kissed Emma, Henry had suddenly felt so sure that it would work—that it was what was meant to be. It all clicked into place at once.

But then Emma hadn't moved, and now the boy was confused and concerned.

"Mom…" he whispered, walking closer yet and grabbing her hand. "Please wake up."

He felt a squeeze on his hand and his heart began to race. Soon after, Emma's eyes began to flutter open.

Overcome with excitement, Henry sprinted from the room to chase down his mother before she got too far.

As he rushed out the front door, all forward movement was halted all at once with a painful jerk as someone grabbed hold of him roughly. Henry turned his head to see his attacker so quickly he was sure he pulled a muscle, and the pain was made all the more worse as he began to struggled to get away from the man who held him: Mr. Hyde.

"Let me go!" he exclaimed, thrashing.

But Hyde was a beast of a man, and simply laughed. "I think not, boy," he snarled. "I have plans for you."

* * *

Hook stood on the deck of the Jolly Roger, his eyes dancing everywhere except for to the woman who stood before him.

Belle, in return, rubbed her arms nervously, unsure of what to say. Finally, she broke the silence.

"You kissed me awake?" Belle asked softly. She touched two fingers to her lips as if to see if the kiss lingered. Her eyes did linger. She peered at the pirate, looking at him in new light as the midday sun beat down upon them, allowing herself to see him as more than just yet another member of the group.

"Aye, Love," he answered. He felt scrutinized and unsure of himself, of anything. He had been so sure of his relationship with Emma, but had discovered that he was not her true love. This sudden turn of events had him reeling. What did it mean for him, for them?

Belle was married, for one. To the bloody Crocodile. The thought of his nemesis hit his gut like a fist and he fought back a grimace.

He had never really looked at Belle in that way. She was a beautiful woman, as her name would seem to say, and her beauty had not gone unnoticed. But they had been friends, and never anything more. He wondered, how did she see him?

There was also Emma to consider. It wasn't like he had had the opportunity to talk to her about where they stood, and he did still care about her. He hadn't intended for any of this to happen, and yet here they were.

Belle's heart was fluttering like a canary in her ribcage. She found no words, her eloquence snatched away by circumstances that were simply far too new for her to anticipate. But the longer she looked at the man, the more things seemed to make sense for her, at least in her heart.

He was handsome and heroic—all the bit the hero she had always fantasized about as a girl—the hero from the many books she had read. He also had that dark past that he had overcome—something she deeply respected. Something she had asked of Rumple that he simply refused to deliver.

She thought of her husband with a small frown. For years they had gone back and forth. She thought he could change. She thought he could be the man she knew was inside of the beast. But he didn't want to be that man. He had made that very clear. He loved her, and she believed that he really did, but it wasn't enough. That isn't what she wanted, not for her, and not for her child.

She thought of her child and thought she could feel the baby kick. She reached up and held her stomach thoughtfully. What was the right choice for her now? Could she take her child away from the father? Was that fair? Did the Dark One even deserve to have a child? Could Hook be a father to her baby?

She blushed a light shade of pink as her mind raced through its many thoughts. Hook watched her in silence, unsure of what to do next. He saw as she held her stomach and remembered the baby that lay within. He had the urge to close the distance between them to place his hand there too, but he refrained.

Finally, the silence grew to be too much for him to handle. "Listen Love," he began. "I don't really know what this means for the future, and I don't want to pressure you into are complicated enough. I'll just stick around to see how it plays out. That kiss, it meant something, I suppose." He was flustered. That much was obvious from the way he rambled and the way he dragged his fingers over his hook. "True love and all that, right? But if I've learned anything over the past few years, it's that nothing is simple."

He was feeling too overwhelmed, like he needed some space and needed to give her some space. He had this fear in his gut that something would go wrong if he didn't leave. He made to enter his cabin but before he got very far she stopped him.

"Wait," she shouted, rushing towards him. She caught up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Don't go," she whispered as he turned around to face her again.

He was about to assent to her wish when she stood on her toes and pressed her lips gently against his. His eyes went wide for a small moment before he closed them and kissed her back.

There was magic there. It was obvious to them both, something they certainly couldn't just ignore. He held her with his hand at the small of her back and she pulled him closer with a hand at the back of his neck and the other at his waist.

The terror that gripped them both in the next second was indescribable. Gold's voice snarled as if from all around them, a bestial growl that turned into a roar.

The two pulled apart as if yanked harshly in either direction. Before any of them could make sense of the situation, Gold was before the pirate, his face contorted with rage. Images of Milah's death popped into the pirate's mind and his stomach flipped with the fear that Belle would be taken next.

But of course, he should have known—Gold wasn't here for Belle, especially not when she carried his child.

Hook felt a sharp tug at his chest, and suddenly felt empty, isolated. His mind caught up with the situation and he saw that Gold held his heart in his fist. Hook's mind raced with fear and he just knew that he'd be dead before he could even take his next breath. He could not remember ever having seen the other man this angry, not even when he had killed his first wife.

Suddenly, Hook felt bad for the man for all he had done. First he had swept Milah away, and now Belle. But he hadn't intended to do so. One cannot help who they love—who their true love is.

Gold began to squeeze the heart. Hook could feel it as though it were still in his chest, contracting painfully. He gritted his teeth and his breath caught in his throat.

"Rumple, no!" shouted Belle from behind the man, but he paid her no mind.

He squeezed harder. Just a bit more and the pirate would be no more.

"Rumple, stop!" Belle shouted once again, and this time he listened, though the shock on his face told Hook he wasn't doing so on his own volition. Immediately, he loosened his grip on the pirate's heart.

"Put it back," she demanded, and again he obeyed. Hook felt the pressure at his chest again and felt the warmth back in his body when his heart was returned. He felt whole again, and he could feel Belle there, too. He took a deep breath and took a step away from the Dark One.

Gold turned around with betrayal in his eyes. "Belle," he called. She stood there before him with his dagger in her hands. She had fallen for his enemy. He felt betrayed in so many ways. He couldn't fault her for being kissed awake by the other man—that was his fault, and for that he must die. But she had fallen for him. She had gone to him and kissed him. And now she had turned on Rumple even further. She controlled him.

"I'm so sorry, Rumple," she replied. There were tears in her eyes. She loved him. She had always known this. But that simply was not enough. There was a man beneath the beast, but the man loved the beast more.

His mind raged. His heart raged. His soul and the soul of every Dark One raged. He felt it bubble up within him. It became a torrent, a hurricane that pounded against his ribbed and flooded through his veins. No, he would not be controlled. He was the Dark One. He was _every_ Dark One.

Slowly, he began to fight against the control of the dagger. His muscles strained as if it was physical force he used against the dagger's power. His every fiber strained. The blood vessels in his forehead and neck popped.

"I will not be controlled," he snarled through grit teeth. He began to pant. He raised his hand slowly, as if he carried in it a heavy weight, and forced his body to turn on the spot.

He felt as though his body was being torn to pieces, but he didn't care. He would take the pirate's heart and he would crush it. His skin burned as if on fire. It felt as though it was separating from the muscles underneath. His muscles felt as though they were pulling off of his bones. He was sure he would break, but still, he turned. Belle was yelling at him—commanding him, but he paid her no mind. Her words fell on deaf ears. All he could hear was his own blood pumping through his veins, and the voices of every other Dark One giving him strength.

He faced the pirate and saw the fear in the other man's eyes—the terror that must have shaken the man to his bones. He relished the sight.

Belle ran to stand between them, still shouting out her commands, but it did not matter. He reached out past his wife and shoved his hand into the pirate's heart. He saw the pirate's fear. He saw Belle's fear and her growing hatred. But it did not matter. He no longer cared. He could feel the heart within. His fingers wrapped around it, prepared to rip it out once again. He would have his revenge.

And then it stopped. Everything went silent. His strength began to fade. His pain began to fade. And then he noticed it, a new pain that radiated from his chest. He looked down and was stunned at what he saw.

The hilt of his dagger jutted out from his chest, its blade sheathed in his heart. Around the hilt were Belle's dainty fingers.

She let go and stumbled backwards in shock. He could see her lips move with her words but could not make out their meaning. He stumbled backwards as well. The world had gone completely silent. He felt a deep isolation as he realized the other Dark Ones had gone away.

He reached up to his chest and pulled his hand away to look upon his own blood. This pain began to fade away too.

He looked back across the room at the pirate, and saw the pity in the man's eyes. He saw his wife, and saw the sorrow there behind her tears. She was holding her belly. He was abandoning yet another child.

He realized he was crying. He pulled the dagger out from his chest, aware of the increased amount of blood that flowed from the wound. His vision began to blur.

He looked at his wife one last time—his Beauty. "I'm sorry, Belle," he whispered in a ragged voice. "I'm sorry," he repeated, and he meant it with every fiber of his body, every bit of his soul. The further his vision blurred the more he saw his life with more clarity. He had been wrong. All this power—it wasn't what he needed, what he wanted. Why had he been so sure?

He had had so many chances…

"Belle." He lifted his bloody hand and placed it on her belly as a sob tore through his soul. His vision went completely back and he fell to the floor. "I love you…"

She threw herself to the floor with him, but he was gone. She was crying, sobbing. She held his head in her lap and wailed in her grief. Hook crouched behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what else to do.

The darkness was free from its host. It swirled up through the air, twisting and turning. It went to Belle, and burrowed its way through her skin. She gasped as she felt it permeate her being, but then, as quickly as it came, it was gone.

But it wasn't gone, she realized. It had just faded, as if it had been tucked away somewhere inside of her. With a painful gasp, she realized—it hadn't taken her as its new host…it had taken her baby instead.


	17. Episode 17: Shattering

EPISODE 17: SHATTERING

Frightened green eyes quickly looked about as Emma sat up in bed. "Hello?" she called out quietly, surprised by the rasp of her unused voice. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Hello, anybody here?"

When no one responded she swung her legs over the side of the bed and slowly eased herself to her feet. She hadn't been asleep for much longer than a week, and yet she could still feel some residual weakness in her muscles. She took a few careful steps around the room before noticing her red jacket hung up over the couch. With a small smile, she picked it up and put it on, feeling a bit more comfortable.

After a few more careful steps she felt more confident and made her way out of the room, trying to figure out where she was, all the while trying to shake away the fuzziness of her thoughts.

"Zelena's…" she whispered as she recognized the place. "Where is everyone?"

 _And how am I awake?_

She opened the creaking front door and peaked outside before taking a step onto the wooden porch, wary of her bare feet on the old wood. "Anyone here?" she called out again.

"Emma!" responded a familiar voice, the sound of which sent Emma's heart into overdrive. Regina ran around the side of the house and stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at her friend with a wide smile. "You're awake."

Despite all of the confusion and panic running through her muddled brain, Emma could not help but smile back, reminded of just how beautiful the mayor is when she smiled. "I am."

Regina opened her arms and Emma, her smile widening, jumped down the stairs and threw her arms around her friend, eagerly accepting the invite for a hug. After all those nights dreaming, of those arms around her being her only sanctuary, she was eager to embrace the woman in the real world as well.

"I've missed you, Regina," she whispered, squeezing the woman just a bit tighter.

The sincere comment earned a hearty laugh in response as she was hugged tighter as well. But then the mirth of the moment faded and Regina pulled back, holding Emma by her shoulders. "It isn't safe here. The Evil Queen and Hyde are back. The others are already taking refuge at Granny's, but there is something I have to do before I join them. I need your help, will you come with me?" She let go of Emma's shoulders but held out her hand.

Emma took hold of Regina's hand with a slight blush and nodded. She wanted to see her family, but she also wanted to help Regina with whatever she needed, assuming it was important in their plan to defeat Hyde and the Evil Queen. Her head was spinning and she could not stop smiling at the beautiful woman who needed her assistance. Suddenly, being the Savior didn't seem so bad.

With a flick of Regina's wrist, they disappeared in a purple cloud

"Belle!" Hook shouted, throwing himself to his knees beside the woman. He was overcome by the scene he had just witnessed, the woman he kissed awake killing his long-time enemy: her husband and the father of her unborn child.

"Are you all right?"

Belle turned to the pirate and threw herself against his chest, bawling. "I-killed-him," she sobbed.

He held her close and ran his hand up and down her back. "It wasn't your fault," he assured, "You saved my life."

She sobbed again. "The darkness…"

Hook pulled back and looked Belle in the eyes. "It's okay Belle. We've figured out how to get rid of it once, we'll figure it out again. I won't let you stay a Dark One."

She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his, letting her tears fall freely. "It isn't me," she whispered, holding on to her stomach.

At first the pirate was confused, unsure of what she was saying, but then it dawned on him. "Are you certain?"

She nodded. "I can feel it."

He pulled her closer and stared out at the water. _We're definitely going to need help._ He didn't want to face the others. He didn't want to explain that he had been the one to kiss Belle awake. He didn't want to explain any of it, but instead of running, he stood and pulled Belle up with him. "Come on, Love," he said softly, "let's go find the others."

Emma stood with her thumbs in her back pockets as she looked around Regina's candlelit vault with a raised brow. "So, what are we doing here? Looking for something?" As she scanned the room, her eyes met with Regina's and she audibly gulped.

The older woman was looking at her with a expression best described as that of a predator. There was a fire in her eyes—a hunger, and the sight of it made Emma's knees tremble. The fire burning in that gaze was contagious, and it lit one deep inside Emma as well.

"Regi-," Emma's questioning tone was interrupted by Regina's lips smashing against Emma's. At once, the smolder was a raging inferno and Emma moaned into the kiss, opening her mouth for more.

 _Am I still dreaming?_

Regina pushed Emma back until the back of her knees hit a desk, forcing her to sit. Regina's lips never left the Savior's, and when she delivered a sharp bite to the blonde's bottom lip, Emma rewarded her with another low moan. Regina grinned into the kiss.

 _This doesn't seem to be a nightmare…_

Emma's mind tried to understand the situation, but each thought crumbled before it made any sense, turning to ash in the blaze of her desire. When Regina shifted her hips to move against Emma's core, she bit her own lip in both pleasure and shock as she felt her own wetness.

Regina's mouth went to work down Emma's jaw to nip and kiss her neck, eliciting delirious whimpers from her prey. Emma, in response, ran her fingers through Regina's long raven tresses while her other hand roamed down the woman's back to her hip, which she grabbed to pull Regina impossibly closer.

"Fuck, Regina," Emma moaned as Regina began to grind her hips against her. She closed her eyes and tugged at the woman, needing more.

 _I'm still dreaming_. _There's no other explanation_.

This heated moment was so sudden and certainly unexpected. Try as she might, she couldn't wrap her mind around the situation.

Sudden or not, Regina was coming at her with such passion that all attempts at logical thoughts were simply impossible, and when the older woman slid her hand inside the blonde's shirt and over her stomach to cup her breast, Emma gave up even trying.

But, this couldn't be so one-sided.

Emma shifted her leg in between the other woman's and used the hand she kept on Regina's hip to keep up the rhythm they had built up between them. Both women moaned this time, and Emma pulled Regina's face up to hers to claim another kiss.

The sheriff pulled back from the kiss, just barely, and kept Regina's head in place with a firm grasp of hair at the back of her head. She snaked her tongue slowly over the older woman's lips at the same time she snaked her other hand under Regina's shirt, her fingers lightly brushing the skin there until she reached a hard nipple. Simultaneously, she bit Regina's bottom lip and pinched her nipple.

She was rewarded with a sharp, halted gasp and the deepest, sexiest moan she had ever heard. The move was meant for the other woman, but the response she received sent a wave of pleasure through the blonde as well.

"More," Emma whimpered against Regina's lips as she pulled at her shirt, desperate to feel the other woman's skin on her own.

Regina grinned wickedly as she pulled back to give Emma enough room to remove her shirt and toss it to the side, and her grin only grew as Emma's eyes raked hungrily over her body.

 _But if I'm still dreaming…this should be another nightmare…_

They came together again, Regina pulling at Emma's shirt and Emma unhooking Regina's bra. Soon both women were topless, moaning each time their nipples glided across the other woman's skin.

Emma became the predator, hunting down her grinning prey. Her hunger had been ignited—a passion more intense than she had ever known. She kissed at a sensitive spot at the base of Regina's neck as her nimble fingers worked to remove a belt.

For a brief moment, Emma thought of Killian, and her guilt wrestled with her desire for the woman who was biting her shoulder and running manicured nails across her back. Soon, however, Regina was down to lacy black panties and her high heeled shoes, and Emma couldn't get enough.

 _Besides, I'm dreaming. No harm in an innocent little dream, right?_

"That hardly seems fair, Miss Swan," Regina purred as Emma tried to remove the last bit of clothing she had on other than her heels.

 _Okay, maybe not so innocent._

Emma smirked and hopped off of the counter, slipping gracefully out of her own pants and stepping closer to Regina, meshing their bodies together. Another wave of pleasure rolled through them both at the contact. Not wasting another moment, Emma freed her lover from the last bit of clothing. Regina's heels clicked loudly on the floor as she stepped out of her underwear.

This time, Emma backed Regina up against the counter before lifting her up with strong arms and placing her firmly upon it. Regina's eyes darkened even further with her desire as Emma placed a hand on either knee and spread her legs, taking in the wet, groomed sight before her.

Emma licked her lips and slowly lifted her gaze up over the woman, savoring the delicious sight. Her mind was still fuzzy from the curse, but it no longer mattered. Her own dripping desire trumped all else.

Green eyes sought brown for permission, and with the slightest of nods it was granted. Wasting no time, Emma's lips were upon her, first at a sensitive nipple, sucking and circling her tongue over the sensitive nub, a taste of what was to come. She kissed her way down across the woman's darker skin, kneeling down to softly bite her hip bone and to kiss her inner thigh before finally finding her mark.

Regina hissed in pleasure as Emma's mouth finally met her aching core. Despite all attempts at self-control, she soon found herself bucking up against Emma's mouth as the woman sucked the sensitive nub between her lower lips and set to work with her talented tongue.

She was astounded at how quickly the pleasure was building. Her breathing became erratic, and Emma knew she was close. Part of the blonde wanted to slow down to relish the moment, but the bigger part of her wanted to bring her lover to peak as soon as possible, her delirious mind ravenous to see the woman tumble over the edge.

Regina's moans grew in frequency and her movement became erratic. Her hands were in Emma's hair, tugging, and each tug sent a shockwave of painful pleasure through the blonde. Emma's thighs burned with her effort to kneel, but she didn't care. All that mattered was the writhing beauty before her.

Emma raised one of her hands to Regina's core and deftly slipped in two fingers, moaning against Regina as she felt the wetness on her fingers. This sent the woman quickly over the edge, and Emma kept right on pumping her fingers and working her tongue as the other woman rode out her orgasm. She watched as Regina threw her head back in ecstasy.

The Savior pulled back and looked up at Regina from between her thighs, expecting to see nearly any other expression than the one that gazed back down at her.

It was a terrifying expression. Emma could see the darkness in Regina's eyes, and as Regina began to laugh, a wicked, startling laugh with an emptiness so unlike her friend's, Emma rushed backwards and to her feet.

 _This has to be a nightmare_. _The curse causes nightmares._

"That worked better than I could have hoped," Regina sneered.

Emma paled and began scrambling for her clothes, hastily dressing herself. Regina just crossed her ankles and watched from where she sat with her wicked grin.

"Everything has worked out so well, thanks to you," she smirked, "I was just going to crush hearts as usual, but then I saw you and thought putting you to sleep would be more fun. And then I had a lot of time to think," her lips curled into a malicious smile, the likes of which Emma hadn't seen adorn that otherwise beautiful face in a long time. "I realized that you are the key. The precious daughter of those simpering fools. The best friend to my pathetic other half. What better way to get my revenge?"

She laughed again and Emma's blood went cold. She shivered despite being dressed.

"But just killing you…oh no. I wanted to get more creative, and have a little fun along the way. I wanted to break you, Miss Swan. Have I succeeded?"Regina slid off the desk to her feet, her heels clicking on the stone floor.

"Tell me, how does it feel to have slept with the enemy, to have bedded the Evil Queen?"

Emma was trembling now, her breath coming in shudders. Her stomach had flipped and then flipped again—she felt hollow inside.

 _I'm not dreaming…am I?_

The older woman flicked her wrist and in a puff of purple smoke she was dressed, no longer in the posh attire of Regina Mills, but instead now in a tight leather gown of the Evil Queen. "Did I succeed, Miss Swan? Are you broken?" she taunted. "You must be. You not only bedded the Evil Queen, but you did so with _gusto_. What a pretty picture, the Savior on her knees, servicing the woman who wants nothing more than to crush her mother's heart, the woman who cast the curse that tore her family apart."

 _This is a nightmare…but I'm not dreaming._

Emma ran out of the vault, taunted by peals of laughter from the other woman. She threw herself out into the fresh summer air of Storybrooke and sprinted through the cemetery, afraid that if she stopped for even a moment, the Evil Queen would get rip out her heart.

 _I slept with the Evil Queen._ Her bare feet cried out in pain as she sprinted across pine needles and gravel. _I_ _fucked_ _the Evil Queen._ Hot tears ran down her face and filled her eyes. She continued to sprint, nearly blind, desperate to escape what she had just done.

The bell above the door to Granny's dinged as Belle and Hook entered with sullen expressions. Belle's eyes were bloodshot and puffy, but she made no effort to hide that she had been crying.

They were greeted immediately by the others who flooded them with questions: Who woke Belle? What happened? The Dark One is dead? Can a baby be a Dark One? The questions just kept coming.

But it soon became obvious that it was all too much for Belle when she nearly fainted, falling against Hook who caught her in his arms and lead her to a booth to sit down.

"Let's give her some space," Snow said, shooing the others to back off.

"And a water," Charming added.

Snow and Hook sat with Belle, nurturing her back to health, and the others went back to preparing the potion over a stove in the kitchen, talking under their breaths about what they could possibly do about Belle's child. All Dark One experts were gone now that Rumple and Merlin were both dead. Emma might know something, having spent some time as a Dark One, but she was asleep, and Hook, despite having been a Dark One for a short time, didn't seem to have a clue.

Once Belle was feeling a little better, Hook took her to one of the rooms upstairs and helped her get comfortable. "Rest now, Love. Take it easy, for your sake and the baby's." He gave her a weak smile.

She nodded but gave little other response. She simply closed her eyes and was quickly off to sleep.

Hook sat with her for a short time before joining the others back downstairs. He was about to join the others in the kitchen when the door to Granny's flew open and in stumbled Emma Swan, face flushed and full of terror.

"Swan," Hook gasped, pausing dumbly where he stood.

"Emma!" cried both of the Charmings as they scrambled out of the back room and towards their daughter, joined shortly after by Regina, Zelena, and Dr. Jekyl. Their faces shifted quickly from pure elation to immense concern as they saw their daughter, awake, but looking so terrified.

"Emma, what's wrong?" Regina asked, with dark eyes full of concern. She felt a pang in her heart but wasn't sure why, and the heart she actually carried was trembling in her chest. Something was definitely wrong with her friend.

Emma looked from face to face, stopping at Regina's, noting the care in her eyes, but at the same time, Regina's face made her think of the Evil Queen, of her actions only moments ago, and her stomach lurched.

Before she said a word, she ran passed every one and straight down the hall into a bathroom. She fell to her knees and dry heaved over the toilet until her stomach ached and bile burned her throat. Snow came in behind her, holding back her hair and rubbing her back, trying not to look too disgusted herself.

The others stayed back in the dining area with their respective looks of concern. David paced back and forth. Hook sat at the counter and pulled out his flask to take a long swig.

Even Regina, who fought against all of her instincts to do so, stayed back. She had seen the way Emma had looked at her, with those green eyes wild with fear, just before she had run off. It shook her to her core.

 _Is this because I kissed her?_

Regina's mind was a flurry of thoughts. How was Emma even awake? The Savior hadn't reacted to Regina's kiss, and as far as she knew, no one else had been with her except for Henry, and her son had already tried and failed to wake his mom.

 _Henry…_

"Where's Henry?" she panicked. Despite her initial decision to stay back, she ran down the hall and into the bathroom. "Where's Henry?" she repeated.

Snow looked at Emma who gave her a weak shrug before returning to her heaving.

"He was with Emma," Regina answered Snow's questioning expression. Her stomach sank and she knew, she just knew, that something had happened to her son.

 _Henry…Emma…what happened?_


	18. Episode 18: Strength in Sanctuary

**A/N: We're just shy of 8,000 readers! Thank you all for your continued support. Each time someone favorites and/or follows the story, I get another surge of motivation, and that goes doubly so for each review! Keep letting me know what you think-thank you and happy reading.**

EPISODE 18: STRENGTH IN SANCTUARY

Henry strained against the restraints that kept him fastened to the chair in his mother's office and screamed against the tape across his mouth.

The Evil Queen appeared in a cloud of purple smoke to see Henry struggling and Hyde ignoring him as he leaned his massive form over the desk, looking over a complete map of Storybrooke.

"Did you have your fun?" Hyde questioned with a sneer. "Rip out any hearts?"

"I enjoyed myself," the Evil Queen answered coolly, "breaking hearts in other ways. How is the planning going?"

"Splendidly, My Queen," he answered, gesturing to the map before him. There were three circles around the border of the town, one for each of the staves. "We just need to get the final staff from the Dark One and then we can begin." He continued to make a few more measurements, just to be sure everything was perfect.

The Evil Queen walked over to Henry and stood before him. "Hello, Henry," she greeted with a smirk.

He mumbled against the tape and gasped for air when she magicked it away. "Let me go!"

She laughed. "I can't do that. I have plans for you."

Henry paled. Then he had a thought—it had been her love for him that had set her on the path to goodness in the first place, maybe, just maybe, it could happen again. "Mom, c'mon, you don't have to do this. We all love you."

She laughed again, a cold, empty sound that echoed through the room. She shook her head. "I feel nothing for you, my _son_. Nothing. Don't you understand? There is _no light_ in me for you to cling to. I'm evil, _pure_ evil."

Henry glared up at her, but inside felt as though his heart was breaking. To hear this woman, who was in many ways the woman he loved as a mom, say that she did not care about him, it tortured him. Briefly, he wondered if that was how she felt when he had turned on her. He realized that this wasn't really his mother, and realized now just how dangerous she was. She really was all darkness, with none of Regina's light.

She turned away and walked back to Hyde. "Well, shall we go fetch this staff?"

 _I'll just have to figure out another way to escape_ , Henry thought, certain that he'd figure something out. After all, his grandpa had been teaching him all sorts of things about being a hero.

* * *

"Mom?" Emma's voice was hoarse and her throat stung painfully.

"I'm here sweetie, I'm here," Snow replied, jumping up from her chair to rush over to her daughter. She handed her a water and took hold of her free hand.

Emma downed the water, taking hold of Snow's hand and looking around the room. She recognized it as the room she had stayed in when she had first come to Storybrooke.

"Are you all right, Emma?" Snow asked softly. "What happened?"

It was then that Emma remembered everything that had happened since she had awakened. She shook her head wildly, ignoring her pounding headache. "I'm fine," she answered, but she was fooling nobody.

"Emma, you know you can talk to me."

Emma looked into Snow's eyes and Snow could see a great pain inside Emma.

"But you don't have to," she added, "I'm here when you're ready, okay?"

Emma nodded.

Snow took Emma's silence as a chance to catch her up on things, hoping to pull her daughter out of her thoughts.

"You've been asleep for a little over a week." She rubbed Emma's arm as she spoke. "In that time we've tried coming up with a plan to stop Hyde and the Evil Queen. Luckily, they have been gone, back to Hyde's world."

"They're back now," Emma interrupted.

"You-you've seen them?" Snow asked with wide eyes. Running into them would explain why her daughter was acting so strange.

"I had a run in with the Evil Queen," Emma answered coolly, keeping her steeled gaze straight ahead at the wall."

Snow pulled out her phone to send a mass text to the others to let them know—it was vital information in their search for Henry and they all needed to know to be extra careful.

Snow wanted to ask her daughter more, to know about what had happened with the Evil Queen, but she had learned when to push and when to hold her tongue with Emma over the years. After a while, however, the silence became too much, so she continued to catch Emma up on what had happened while she was asleep.

"We kept you at Zelena's home so Regina and Zelena could both watch over you. They are the most powerful, so we figured they stood the best chance of protecting you from the Evil Queen, and the Mill's Manor seemed like too obvious of a place to keep you." She paused for a moment before continuing softly, "Regina stayed with you every night…"

Emma lost track of Snow's voice as she remembered her visits from Regina. Despite her uncertainty and confusion, she suddenly found herself wanting Regina there with her, holding her to stave off her new nightmares—her real nightmares.

Thinking about Regina also made her think about what she had done with the Evil Queen. She sat back in the bed and tried to think of why she felt so broken after the encounter.

 _I betrayed Killian_. Yes, she was aware that they weren't true loves, but they hadn't had a chance to speak about where they stood. It still felt like she had done wrong by him.

 _I betrayed everyone._ That was the _Evil Queen_ —their enemy, not the woman who had redeemed herself.

 _I betrayed Regina_.

 _Didn't I?_ What would the mayor think if she knew what had happened. How would she feel if she knew her other self had taken Emma to her vault for a quick romp? Emma imagined she would be embarrassed, and angry.

But there was more to it, something Emma was having a hard time ignoring—she also felt like she had betrayed Regina because _Regina_ was the one she had thought she was with, the one she had wanted to be with there in the vault, not the Evil Queen.

But it wasn't like it was something that Regina actually wanted. This was just a ploy of the Evil Queen to hurt them all. Emma frowned when she realized that, even if she kept it to herself, the Evil Queen would probably tell everyone in one way or another. Emma's stomach lurched again at the thought, but she managed to hold herself together.

"And I think you should know that Belle is awake as well…" Snow continued, looking a bit nervous.

Emma nodded, unsure of why that would bother her. She was happy that the other woman was out of her curse. When it became clear that Snow wasn't going to say any more, she asked, "How?"

Snow shifted nervously. "I'm not sure I should be the one to say."

"Mom," Emma was stern. "Don't keep things from me. Please."

With a sigh, Snow gave in. "Killian."

"Killian?" Emma asked. "What do you…" she paused, "Did he-did he kiss her?"

Snow nodded and squeezed her daughter's hand.

"I see," Emma said. _I suppose that's one less betrayal to worry about then_ , she thought to herself bitterly. But she couldn't even stay angry, even though she wanted to. She knew the tales of true love, about its power to draw someone in. She imagined he likely hadn't intended to betray her, and he had tried to kiss her awake as well, she knew. She sighed.

There was a commotion downstairs and heeled footsteps coming up the stairs and into the hall. It was Regina, talking to someone on the phone. Her voice was trembling with either rage or fear, or both. She knocked softly on the door to Emma's room and Snow, after gaining a short nod from Emma, rose to let her in.

"Oh, you're awake," Regina noticed. "I have to go," she announced to whomever she spoke to on the phone, "Please, keep looking, and let me know if you find anything." There was a slight pause before she continued, "Zelena, thank you. For everything. Goodbye." She hung up and pocketed the small device, leaving Emma wondering about the sad tone behind the goodbye.

"Welcome back, Emma," she greeted with a smile, turning her attention to the two women in the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," Emma responded shortly with shrugged.

Regina frowned, but Emma, looking elsewhere, missed it. Trying again to make conversation, she asked, "Do you know how you came to escape the curse?"

Emma shook her head, her brow furrowed as she wracked her thoughts trying to remember. "I was alone when I woke up," she said, staring off at the wall.

Snow's eyes were brimming at the thought of her daughter waking from her curse alone, without her mother there beside her.

"Henry should have been there," Regina sighed. "I left him there with you."

Emma's expression finally snapped to the present, losing its far-away look. She panicked, throwing the blankets off of her. "Where's is he? Has anyone found him?" She moved to stand up.

Snow tried to keep her daughter on the bed, but Emma was not having it.

"Miss Swan, what do you think you're doing?" Regina's commanding tone stunned Emma into halting her movements.

"Getting up to find our son," she responded with bite.

Regina sighed. "I know you're anxious to find him. So am I. But you need to rest."

 _I need to rest? I've_ _been_ _resting!_ Emma frowned, glaring up at them.

Snow just shook her head. "People are looking for him. They'll find him."

Emma stared at Regina, "Why aren't you out there looking for him?"

The question cut Regina deep, but she steeled her face and offered a calm response. "I'm here because the potion should be done soon."

"Potion?" Emma asked, growing more irritated by the minute.

"I have to take it so I can cast a spell to temporarily banish dark magic," Regina explained. "That way we stand a chance at defeating the Evil Queen."

"Wait," Snow began, "Emma's here now, shouldn't sh-."

Regina shot Snow a look that immediately shut her up. "I have to stay here to take the potion, but could you take my place to find Henry?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Right, of course," Snow responded, standing up. After a quick but heartfelt goodbye to her daughter, she moved to the door to leave. "You'll watch over Emma, right?" she asked.

Regina looked from Emma's troubled expression to Snow's pleading one before nodding slowly. "Of course," she answered, "But I have to talk to you for a minute."

The two of them left the room, leaving Emma alone and confused. They whispered to one another outside the door, but too quietly for Emma to hear, no matter how hard she strained her ears.

"You can't tell Emma about the spell," Regina urged Snow quietly.

"Why not?" Snow inquired. "She's awake now, and she's the Savior. Surely she should be the one to cast the spell? We're not even sure that you can…"

Regina's eyes cut into Snow and she looked away. "She isn't strong enough right now. If we let her cast the spell, which she will _insist_ upon doing if she knows it has to be light magic, it will kill her. It has to be me."

Snow looked into Regina's eyes for a moment before nodding. "All right," she said, "But Regina, we don't want to lose you either. Please be careful." She gave Regina a small smile and Regina smiled in return.

"I'll try, Snow. I have no desire to leave my family now."

Emma couldn't hear what the two women were saying, but she could see them through the cracked open door and was quite surprised to see them hug as they said goodbye. She didn't know what they were talking about, or what her mother had wanted to say before being cut off by Regina, but she was done with sitting around. She wanted to find her son.

Regina stepped back into the room and shut the door behind her, surprised to see Emma putting on the boots her mother had left for her in the room.

"What do you think you are doing?" Regina asked. "I thought we already established that you need to rest."

Emma glared at Regina. "I'm not going to sit around while our son is missing. I understand that you need to be here right now, but I don't. I'm going to go find him."

Regina sighed. "Emma, wait." She paused as Emma stared at her expectantly. "Please stay with me." Emma looked at her curiously, so she quickly amended, "Henry would never forgive me if I let you go out there just to get hurt."

Emma was not fully convinced that Henry was the only reason Regina didn't want her to leave, but she didn't push it. If the proud woman was willing to ask her to stay in such blunt terms, she felt like it must be for a good reason.

"Fine, I'll stay," she acquiesced, sitting back in bed and pouting.

Regina let out a sigh of relief but didn't come any further into the room. Instead, she leaned against the door, analyzing the tension in the room. Emma still would barely look at her.

She was about to say something, anything, to put an end to the quiet when Emma broke the silence on her own.

"Where's Killian?"

The question made Regina wince. "He's taking care of Belle in the room down the hall," she answered. She knew it was a brash, heartless response, but her dislike of the pirate overcame her. She reprimanded herself, knowing she shouldn't punish Emma for her feelings towards the pirate, and added, "Would you like for me to fetch him for you?"

Emma nodded, staring down at her hands with tears in her eyes. Regina inwardly kicked herself for letting her emotions get the better of her.

She left the room and returned moments later with Hook, ushering him into the room while she herself waited outside in the hall. She tried her best to ignore the immense pang of jealously she felt as he shut the door behind him.

"Swan," he greeted, unable to meet her gaze.

"Killian," she sighed. She tried to push away her confused and hurt feelings to focus on how she was genuinely happy to see him.

He didn't know how much she knew and wasn't sure if he had the strength to confess. Did she know that he couldn't wake her up with true love's kiss? Did she know that he _had_ succeeded in doing so with someone else?

"Congratulations about Belle," Emma whispered, quickly laughing quietly out loud at the look of shock on his face.

Regina could hear the genuine laughter from where she stood outside of the room and frowned deeply.

"It's okay, Killian," Emma continued, "True love is unpredictable, isn't it? Besides," she paused, "we sort of already knew…didn't we?"

Hook nodded slowly. "I don't know how you manage to be such a good person, Swan."

She smiled warmly at him. "Don't get me wrong, a part of me is pretty damn pissed. But at the same time, I've come to understand that true love is a form of magic and magic is pretty uncontrollable."

"Aye, Love," he answered. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," she replied, opening her arms for a hug. They embraced warmly for a moment before separating again.

"Thank you, Emma," he said, "for everything. You made me the man I am today. I owe you everything."

"Killian…you've done so much for me, too. You brought down my walls and opened up my heart. Let's call it even?"

They smiled at one another, happy for the moment to be friends. They both knew that the situation would require further discussion later, when things calmed down, but right now there were more important things to worry about.

"So, who did end up waking you up?" Hook asked curiously.

She shook her head. "I honestly don't know. I was alone when I woke up."

"Well, I'm just glad you're back."

"Me too. I suppose you better get back to Belle, huh? Tell her I say hi."

With a final squeeze of her shoulder Hook left to return to Belle. Regina walked back into the room to take his place.

"How did it go?" she asked, trying to read Emma's face but finding it difficult. The woman still would not look at her.

"Surprisingly well," Emma answered, and then the room fell silent again.

"Emma, I get the feeling I'm not wanted here. If you would like me to leave, I will."

Emma stared forward with an unfocused gaze, not answering. She had barely found the strength to face Hook; facing Regina seemed nearly impossible after what had happened. She felt bad for the way she was acting. After all, it wasn't Regina's fault and the woman didn't even know about what had happened with the Evil Queen, but Emma just couldn't face her.

Regina sighed, feeling disheartened. After all they had been through, and after she had gone to Emma each night to hold her to give her a rest from her nightmares, she couldn't understand how they had gotten to this point.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me," she said, turning around to leave.

"Wait!" Emma cried out, and Regina turned around to see Emma looking at her with panicked eyes. "Please, stay with me." Emma's emotions were a mess of contradictions, but despite all that had happened with the Evil Queen, she found she still wanted her best friend at her side. She missed being held as the woman shielded her from her nightmares.

Regina raised a brow but said nothing, walking across the room to sit in the chair.

"Will you…" Emma fidgeted with her hands and looked everywhere other than at the other woman in the room. "Will you sit with me? Like…like in my dreams?"

Emma's timid behavior reminded Regina of a scared child, and the sight broke her heart. Without any hesitation, she walked over to the bed and sat next to her friend.

"That was real…right? You were there with me?" Emma asked softly, still not looking at Regina.

"Yes, it was real," Regina answered. "Do you…want me to just sit here, or…"

"Like in my dreams," Emma whispered, hoping Regina would understand, and she did. She wrapped an arm around Emma and Emma leaned into the embrace, feeling more relieved by the minute. Suddenly, she really did feel like she could fall asleep and rest.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Regina asked softly, but Emma shook her head.

They sat quietly for a few minutes, but this time the awkwardness was gone. Instead, the two women simply took comfort in one another.

But then Emma began to quietly cry, despite how hard she had been trying to hold back her tears.

Surprised, Regina pulled the woman closer, into her lap, wrapping both arms around the woman. "Emma?"

"If-If I tell you," Emma sobbed, "you'll-you'll hate me." She was so sure it was true. Whether she would hate her for sleeping with the enemy, or for sleeping with a person who was, essentially, _her_ , she just knew Regina would hate her for what she had done.

"Emma, I tried hating you, remember? It didn't work out." _You're just too loveable._ "You can trust me. It's you and me, remember? We're a team."

Emma sniffed and wiped away her tears. She wasn't convinced, but it hurt to keep it to herself. Besides, she was certain the Evil Queen was going to make it known eventually—it was better if it came from her instead.

"When I woke up," Emma began, whispering so quietly that Regina had to lean her head next to Emma's and really listen to hear, "I was alone, and confused. I went outside, but then…well then you were there to greet me."

"What?" Regina pulled back, confused.

"It wasn't you," Emma continued with a deep breath, "but I…I didn't know that. She was there, pretending to be you, pretending to be happy to see me, giving me a hug…"

Regina's stomach twisted itself into a knot. She still couldn't fathom where this was going for Emma to think she could possibly hate her, but she knew that her other self was a devious woman, and she dreaded what could have happened to her dearest friend.

Emma considered her choice of words, swaying between continuing the story while referring to the other woman in the tale as the Evil Queen or Regina. In the end, she decided to tell it as if it really had been Regina, because, at the time, that is what she had thought.

"You said you needed to get something quick before joining everyone at Granny's and asked me to come with, so I did." Emma was no longer crying, but she had mentally distanced herself from the present, speaking in empty tones.

"You took me to your vault, and…and then…" There was no going back if she said what happened next. "You kissed me…"

Regina stopped breathing.

"And you…we…" She began to cry again.

"Shh," Regina comforted. She didn't need to hear anymore—she knew what must have happened. She gritted her teeth in rage, but fought back the seething hatred for the moment to comfort her friend instead. "It wasn't your fault. I'm so sorry Emma." She had a hard time keeping her arms steady with all the anger pumping through her veins.

Emma wanted to fully confess, but the words stuck in her throat, choking her. Finally, she swallowed hard and continued, shaking her head. "I was really confused. My brain was all…muddled, like I wasn't fully awake. In fact, I didn't think I was. I figured I had to have still been dreaming, and I…I thought it was you…"

Regina wasn't entirely sure what Emma was trying to say.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't…I didn't know. I thought it was you…kissing me…" she trailed off, but the implication of what else happened was there. "I thought it was you, and I…I didn't fight it. I…" How much was she going to confess? Was she going to admit she got on her knees?

Regina's heart was racing and she struggled to breath, having held her breath for too long. She was full of so much rage she thought she might explode, but there was something else in what Emma was saying. _She…was willing…when she thought it was me?_

"Emma listen to me," her voice was stern, but a little shaky, "I don't hate you for this. As far as I'm concerned, it wasn't your fault at all. She took advantage of you, and for that I am sorry. This is all my fault. If I had been stronger and just handled my darkness, none of this would have happened."

"I don't blame you, Regina," Emma's voice was quiet and sad.

"Thank you…for trusting me…for letting me be here after…after what happened." Her voice was full of doubt.

Emma twisted around in Regina's lap, forcing herself to look her friend in the eyes, astonished as always at the woman's beauty. In that moment, all of the uncertainty she had faded away. This was still her friend, her best friend, and she wasn't going to let the event in the vault change that.

Regina stared back at Emma, her breath hitched in her throat, aware of just how close they were.

"I'm sorry for how I was acting," Emma whispered. "You didn't deserve that. You're too important to me to allow this to split us apart. We're a team, after all." She smiled the first genuine, warm smile Regina had seen since Emma had returned and it warmed her soul to see it.

Regina needed to kill the Evil Queen, immediately, for hurting Emma. The desire crawled along every inch of her skin. At the same time, however, her heart ached to stay right where she was, holding the woman who had twisted back around and settled back into her embrace. In the end, she made the decision to stay, knowing that soon the potion would be ready and she would be doing her part in taking down the vile woman.

"I like your short hair," Emma murmured softly, and Regina was sure the woman was falling sleep.

"Thank you," she whispered in response. It was quiet for awhile before Emma spoke again.

"Regina?" Emma asked softly, leaning back against her friend and closing her eyes.

"Yes?" Regina rested her head on Emma's. It felt strange to be sitting like that in the real world, strange and unexpected, but she didn't complain.

"I feel you, like, all the time." Regina stopped breathing again as Emma spoke. "It's like you're always with me. I felt like that under the curse, not at first, but after a while, and now that I'm awake again, I realize I can still feel you. Why… why is that?"

Trying to regulate her breathing, Regina lied. "I don't know." She didn't want to admit that she had Emma's heart in her chest—not yet. She needed it to cast the spell, and she wasn't sure how Emma would respond to such an intimate gesture.

Emma considered Regina's answer, knowing it to be a lie, but pushed it no further. She figured she would learn sooner or later, when Regina was ready.

"Regina, the potion's finished!" Dr. Jekyl yelled from downstairs.

"I have to go," Regina said sadly. "The sooner I cast this spell, the sooner we can take down the bitch who hurt you and likely has our son."

Emma, momentarily shocked by Regina's harsh language, reluctantly shifted herself out of the other woman's lap. "Be careful," she said as Regina stood.

Regina paused before leaving the room, considering how to proceed. She knew that there was a chance she might die, no matter how badly she would fight against it. She wanted to live, to find her son, to destroy her vile other half. But the fact was, she might not survive, and she was okay with taking the risk if it gave the rest a chance at winning.

She didn't want to worry Emma, but she didn't want to leave without saying how she felt.

"Emma…" she began slowly, and the two of them stared into the other's eyes, "I just want you to know how much I appreciate everything you have done for me, and… I want you to know that," she swallowed passed the lump in her throat, trying to confess the truth. Instead, she said, "That I care about you."

She walked towards the door, angry at not herself for not saying what she really wanted to say. Emma was her friend, her family—why was it so difficult to tell the woman she loved her?

"Regina," Emma said right before Regina was out the door.

"Hm?" Regina didn't look back, worried the other woman would see the tears in her eyes.

"I love you too."

Regina turned back this time, smiling at Emma. The woman always did know her better than Regina gave her credit for.

"And…Gina?" Emma continued.

"Yes, Emma?" Regina needed to leave soon or she would not be able to escape without crying.

"Come back to me. You promised."

Regina turned around, no longer able to hold back the tears as she remembered the promise she had made the very first time she had stumbled into Emma's cursed dreams. "I will," she answered, "I will always come back to you."


	19. Episode 19: Tipping the Scales

EPISODE 19: TIPPING THE SCALES

Regina, Snow, and Zelena appeared in a swirl of purple and green smoke in the forest by the old bridge, Snow looking a bit frazzled at the mode of transportation.

"Why do we have to do it here, specifically?" Zelena asked in a drawl.

Regina shot her a look. "It's an important spot for Emma's magic," she answered simply, hoping that the answer would suffice. But of course, it didn't, and both Snow and Zelena looked at her with questioning eyes. She rolled her own and sighed. "We had a big breakthrough here when I was giving Emma magic lessons," she snapped.

Zelena nodded but Snow frowned. She understood that Regina was nervous about the spell she was about to attempt, but it seemed like there was more bothering her. She knew better than to ask at the moment, however, having learned at least a few things over the years about how to deal with Regina.

There was more to it. Regina was worried about dying, yes. She was also worried about Henry. She was worried that she would die and not be able to rescue him nor tell him goodbye and that she loved him. She was worried about Emma, for more than one reason, but did her best to push those thoughts from her mind, an impossible endeavor considering she carried with her Emma's beating heart.

Regina stepped towards the canyon with the broken bridge, peering over the edge. Flashes of memory lit up her mind: the way her heart nearly died and atrophied on the spot when she thought that Emma had fallen to her death, and the relief and pride she had felt when Emma came floating back up to her. As she peered down at the depths below, where Emma nearly met her end, she remembered the first of Emma's nightmares that she had entered, and felt a pang of something hard to describe in her chest—in Emma's heart.

She remembered her promise to return.

"Regina?" Snow's quiet voice broke her reverie.

She snapped out of it with a nervous glance at the ground, her fingers fiddling with the small vial she held in her hands. She held it up, looking at the swirling grey liquid inside of it with a frown etched on her face.

"You don't have to do this," Snow spoke up again, stepping up beside the former Queen and smiling reassuringly at her when Regina turned to look at her with a soft gaze. "We can find another way."

Zelena was fidgeting, unsure of how to voice her current thoughts, or if she even wanted to do so. She gave in, swallowing over the lump in her throat and staring at the ground in an attempt to hide the tears building in her eyes. "I just got you back. I don't want to lose you again."

Regina turned to face her sister now, her expression even more forlorn. "I have to do this," she said after a moment's pause. "I have to protect my family." She gave Zelena a soft smile before turning it on Snow as well.

Snow nodded, hesitated, and then threw her arms around her former nemesis. Regina stiffened at first before returning the hug, if somewhat awkwardly, before they broke apart once again, both looking a bit embarrassed, but none more-so than Snow.

Regina looked once more to Zelena and Zelena sighed, then Regina sighed, and they embraced as well.

"Okay," Regina said as she pulled away, uncorking the vial, "no more wasting time. If…" she bit her lip in an effort to maintain her tears, "if I don't make it, take care of Henry…and Emma."

She turned around, not waiting for any response, and knocked back the drink. It was tasteless, but she could feel it the moment it touched her tongue, tingling all the way down her throat. Then it bubbled, and filled her up inside, through her stomach, her lungs, her veins—it was power and purpose and she closed her eyes to both relish and fear it.

There were a lot of things left unsaid. Regina wanted to tell everyone how much they meant to her. She wanted to see Henry, to tell him how proud she was of him and how much she loved him. She even found herself wanting to see Charming, and maybe even Hook, if only to antagonize them one last time. She wanted to see Emma—their farewell felt so lacking.

 _Soulmates_. That's what Emma had said. They were soulmates, and the more Regina thought about it, the more obvious it seemed, regardless of what their relationship was.

She shook her head and delved inside of herself, looking for a spark of light to tap into. She searched, and searched, and began to panic as minutes passed, but then, all at once, she felt the warm magic at the edge of her consciousness.

She dove into the light, tapping into the magical source tucked away in her chest and the very moment she did so her entire being tingled, as though little sprites danced across her skin. She shivered, but it was one akin to pleasure, and she could feel Emma in every dark corner of her being, the Savior's light driving out all shadows.

As she opened her eyes she felt the magic flow in her fingertips, the energy building. In her mind she whispered the incantation she had memorized as she held up her hands to the sky, willing the light magic to do her bidding. Behind her she heard Snow and Zelena both gasp, but she ignored them as she focused on her task.

The beams of light, like lightning, reached into the sky and what appeared to be a storm cloud gathered there, a great mass of dark smoke, almost like another curse was being cast. It gathered and twisted in the sky until the sun disappeared behind the darkness, and then, in a sudden burst of light that seemed to explode form the sun itself, drawn out by Emma's borrowed magic, the cloud disappeared.

Even those without magic could feel the difference in the air, but for those attuned to magic it was even more obvious. Regina suddenly felt powerless, despite the fact that she had figured out how to tap into Emma's magic. Her own magic was out of reach, and that left her feeling vulnerable.

But even more than feeling vulnerable, she felt tired. Exhausted. The fatigue set into her slowly as she ended the magic, seeping into her like a drug and covering her like a blanket. She felt herself, just barely, as she crumbled to the ground. She felt arms around her and heard the voices, but it all felt so far away. She tried to open her eyes, but they refused. She tried to move, but her muscles were useless. She tried to fight the sleep, but it came nonetheless.

* * *

Emma awoke with a start and sat up in bed with sweat dripping from her brow. She clutched at her chest—something was wrong. She had been feeling something for a while already, something somewhat indescribable, like her heart was overflowing. Then, at once, it was over and her heart felt as though it had slowed to a painfully slow pulse.

But her worry wasn't for herself. Though she couldn't explain why, she just knew something was wrong with Regina.

She practically threw herself out of bed, ignoring the groans from her unused muscles. She donned her boots as quickly as she could and ran out of the room, leaving behind her red jacket—there was no time.

"Killian!" she cried as she made her way down the hall and began the descent down the stairs.

He darted from his own room in a panic. "Emma?" he yelled, sprinting across the hall and quickly down the stairs after her. "What's goi—"

"Something's happened with Regina. I have to find her," Emma panted, looking around the diner with wild eyes.

Hook watched Emma warily, unsure of what she was going on about or how she could possibly know something like that, but none of that mattered. Emma needed his help and he would do whatever he could.

"What can I do?" he asked.

She ran a hand through her unruly blond locks and tried to calm her frantic mind enough to figure out what she needed to do. "Do you have any idea where she went?" She gave a frustrated sigh when he shook his head.

Not knowing what else to do, he pulled her into an embrace and let her rest her head on his shoulder. "I have to find her," she mumbled into his shoulder. "Can you please find Henry, we need him…"

He nodded and pulled back. "Aye, love, I'll find the lad. I promise."

The bell above the diner door dinged as the door opened and shut.

"Looks like I've completed my quest," Hook said with a smile, and Emma wheeled around.

"Henry!" she exclaimed, running over to her son and wrapping him in a tight hug. "Where have you been?"

"Mom," he squeaked, and she lessened her grip but did not let go. "Hyde and the…the Evil Queen, they had me. But I escaped, just like grandpa taught me." He beamed proudly past Emma's shoulder at Hook who smiled back at him.

"Oh, kid," was all she said in response as she took a deep breath, her son's presence calming her.

"You really are awake," he said, holding back his own tears of happiness as he held her back.

"I am, kid," she said with a smile, finally pulling back to look at his face, taking it in. It had been far too long. "I'm not sure how, but here I am," she added.

Henry opened his mouth but Emma cut him off. "Now's not the time for catching up," she said, "Something is wrong with your mom. We have to find her."

Henry looked worried but nodded. "How?" he asked.

She stood and paced for a moment, looking between Hook and Henry. "Killian, you need to stay here with Belle," she said at last, with conviction, her sheriff persona taking back over now that she had calmed down a bit. "Henry, hold on to me."

She closed her eyes and thought of Regina, trying to feel her. She didn't know what she was doing or if it would work, but it felt right, as though she was looking for a part of herself. Then, in a whirl of white, she and Henry disappeared, leaving the pirate behind.

* * *

They appeared next to the cliff, surprising Snow and Zelena who were crouched over Regina's body. Emma's insides clenched and her eyes instantly watered, but she bit her bottom lip and ran over with Henry, crouching down alongside the others.

A flurry of questions all came at once. "What happened?" Emma asked. "Is she okay?" Henry asked. "Henry, where were you?" Zelena asked. "Henry, are you okay?" Snow asked.

"They had me," Henry answered quickly, "but I escaped."

"I think Regina is all right," Zelena answered carefully. "She just needs to rest."

"You think so?" Henry asked, his voice a few octaves higher than it had been in quite a while.

Emma moved to pull Regina into her lap, holding the other woman against her chest as she glared at the others as if they were to blame for letting this happen. "I'm taking her to the hospital," she said, and in a flash, she was gone, taking Regina and everyone else with her.

Soon after their arrival, Regina was lying in the hospital bed and the nurses were strapping her in to various machines. Emma was in the way, hovered over Regina with a deep frown and furrowed brows, holding the mayor's hand in her own. It was a scene very reminiscent of when Emma had been in that very room at the beginning of her curse.

Henry stood back, not wanting to be in the way, but the look on his face told them just how worried he was as well.

Without looking to see their arrival, Emma spoke. "What happened?" she asked, barely holding back the strain in her voice.

Snow sucked in a breath and Zelena furrowed her brow. Both knew that Regina had avoided telling Emma about her risking her life because she hadn't wanted her to worry, and now they were left to deal with the aftermath.

All of the nurses left except for one, who stayed behind just long enough to tell them they'd continue to monitor vitals but that there was nothing more they could do at the moment.

Snow and Zelena shared a look, each quietly pleading with the other to take the reins. Snow conceded.

"She cast a very powerful spell," Snow began, "to temporarily banish dark magic."

"How did she banish dark magic with dark magic?" Henry asked, staring at them incredulously.

Another shared look. "I'm not sure that's for us to say…" Snow said softly, cringing a moment later when Emma shot her a glare.

Zelena sighed and strode further into the room. "She has your heart, Emma."

Emma's face went blank. "What?" she asked quietly. Henry was watching carefully.

"The Evil Queen ripped out your heart," Zelena explained, and Emma remembered the event so clearly it made her shudder, "and Regina retrieved it, but she couldn't put it back for some reason. It just wouldn't work…" she trailed off.

Snow picked it back up. "She wanted to keep it safe, and figured the best place was with her, so she put it in her chest."

Henry gaped, but Emma's expression was still mostly blank with a bit of shock. "I didn't know that was possible," he exclaimed.

"Neither did we," Zelena responded, "but there it is."

Emma simply stared down at Regina's sleeping face, unable to process everything she was feeling. Luckily, Henry took over the questioning. "And so…because she has Mom's heart she was able to cast light magic?"

"That was the theory," Zelena answered. "I was pretty surprised when it worked, to be honest."

Emma found it hard to breathe. She had just been with Regina and Regina hadn't said anything to her. "Did she know…?" she whispered.

"Did she know what, Sweetie?" Snow asked.

"Did she know that…this…" Emma gestured towards Regina lying in the bed, "that this was going to happen?"

Snow came up behind Emma and rubbed her shoulders. "She knew it was a risk, Emma."

Emma's neutrality broke and, instead of crying as she felt apt to do, she glared at the mayor, her face contorted with anger betrayed by the tears in her eyes. "Why didn't she tell me?"

"She didn't want you to wor—"

"She didn't even wait until we found Henry!" she yelled, standing up and letting go of Regina's hand.

"She wanted to banish the magic so that we'd be able to save him," said Snow softly.

"Mom…" Henry stepped forward, worried about his mom's reaction. "It's okay. I'm okay, Mom will be okay."

But Emma didn't feel okay. She was shaking, clenching and unclenching her fists. She wasn't even sure why she felt the way she did, so out of control. Perhaps it was her Savior instincts, always wanting to save people, to be able to help them, and when Regina needed her she had been off sleeping.

She was so angry, deep down in her very molecules, that she needed to take action, and quickly. A twisted grin crossed her face as she thought of the revenge she would enact on the Evil Queen for all she had done.

"Emma…" Snow whispered.

"Mom…" Henry worried.

 _For Henry. For me. For Regina…_

"I'm going to kill her," Emma muttered, baring her teeth. "I'm going to kill the Evil Queen, and her stupid little pet."

And then she disappeared in a white cloud, not even bothering to retrieve her heart from Regina, figuring the mayor needed it more than she did.

"I'll text David to let him know that Henry is okay and that Emma needs him," Snow muttered, pulling out her phone.

* * *

The Evil Queen was pacing her office, her regal face contorted with extreme anger. "My magic is gone," she snarled. "My magic is gone and we can't find the damned third staff."

Hyde stood back, watching the Queen pace. "Wearing yourself out won't help," he said calmly. "We'll find it. I believe they've been hiding out in the diner. I was going to go check it out." He walked over to her and held out his arm for her, a particularly brave move, considering her mood. "Care to join me?" he asked.

She fumed, glaring at him, and appalled that she had to actually walk there. Not to mention, she was a bit terrified as well, as she was powerless without her magic.

 _But,_ she reminded herself, _the Savior is the only one with light magic and her goody-two-shoes nature won't let her hurt me. Besides, I can't really die anyway._

A confident smirk replaced her expression of rage as she took his arm. "Yes, let's go find this staff and merge these realms. We don't need dark magic when we have the magic stored in the staves."

Together they strolled casually through the town and towards the diner, entering with a chime of the bell.

With a raised brow, the Evil Queen looked around. "It seems you were incorrect about their location," she sneered.

The sound of glass falling and shattering sounded from the kitchen, followed by a yelp that could only belong to one Dr. Jekyl. Soon after, Hook appeared in the dining room, trying to maintain his cool as he realized who it was who had come to the diner.

Hyde's face twisted into a hideously frightening visage as he took off towards the kitchen to his counterpart.

The Evil Queen merely gave the pirate a smooth, cold glare as she looked him over. He made a mad dash towards her, his frantic mind pushing him towards the foolish decision of trying to take her out with his hook. For a moment, despite all her bravado, fear flashed in her eyes as she remembered she was powerless.

But before the pirate made it to her, Hyde was upon him, knocking him unconscious with a single right hook to the jaw.

Hyde shook out his hand and smiled at the Queen, who simply stared back at him with her usual cold face, despite the fact that inside she was happy he had arrived when he had.

"Well, that was fun," she drawled. "Now what?"

Hyde went back into the kitchen and drug out a knocked out doctor, dropping him next to the pirate. "One of them might know something about the staff," he answered.

Regina thought about it as she looked down at the pirate with disdain, knowing that he would be a good bargaining chip if the Savior were to wake up, being her boyfriend and all. Plus, others seemed to like him well enough, and he may know where they staff is without having to manipulate others for the information.

She grinned, imagining all of the ways she could torture the pirate. "Let's take the pirate back with us and have a little fun, shall we? I'd say you could just kill the good doctor, but we both know that he'd just come back, just as I did."

Hyde responded with his own terrible grin before giving a curt nod.

They made it to the front of Town Hall, Hyde carrying Hook over his shoulder, before running into Emma Swan, who appeared before them in a flurry of light. They stopped dead in their tracks.

"I was wondering," said the Evil Queen with a raised brow and a sneer, "Do you know yet who kissed you? I feel pretty certain that wasn't Captain Guyliner here."

The Evil Queen prepared herself for some snarky banter with the fiery Savior, and was thus surprised when she found herself thrown across the road and landing harshly on the ground. She raised a hand up defensively, but soon remembered once more that her own magic was unavailable.

Emma turned to Hyde next, but Hyde moved quickly, shifting to hold Hook against him with a knife to his throat. "I don't think so, Savior, not unless you want your little boyfriend to bleed out in the street."

The Evil Queen clambered to her feet and stood next to Hyde once more as Emma stopped her planned assault and sucked in a deep breath, glaring at them.

"You couldn't kill me anyway," snarled the Queen. "It's been done, remember? I'll just come right back."

Emma growled at them both and then turned her head to see the source of footsteps jogging their way.

"Emma!" called out Charming, panting slightly as he stopped at her side. He wanted nothing more than to pull his daughter into an immense hug, having not seen her yet since she awoke from the curse, but he knew this wasn't the time. Nevertheless, Emma could see the love in his eyes as he looked at her and that helped to calm her down somewhat.

David took his place next to his daughter and held his gun in his hand, aimed at the Evil Queen, prepared to squeeze the trigger.

"Don't," Emma said calmly. "She can't die, not unless Regina dies, too. They're connected," she said with a sigh. "We have to let them pass for now."

With a blink, David responded, "But they have Hook…"

Emma bit her lip and lowered her hands. "Nothing we can do about it right now, Dad. Let them pass."

So they did, leaving the Queen to lead the way as Hyde walked behind her, turning to keep his eyes on Charming and the Savior as he did, until they disappeared into the building.

Emma ran a hand through her hair and gave a frustrated growl before flicking her wrist and transporting both her father and herself back to the hospital room.

* * *

"Emma!" Snow cried, throwing her arms around her daughter, and David followed suit, finally embracing her after her curse.

"Mom, Dad," she said calmly, hugging them back before extracting herself from the embrace and walking over to Henry and Regina, leaving Snow and David to watch after her worryingly. "How is she?"

"The doctor came and checked her over—says her body is just really tired and she needs to rest, probably for a few days. She'll be okay, Mom," he turned to give her a forced smile.

"What's wrong, kid?" she asked, noticing his expression. She tucked her thumbs in her back pockets.

"Did you…did you kill the Evil Queen?" he asked in a hushed voice—his mother was light, and killing someone if they could find another way was something he wasn't sure was right.

Emma sighed, aware that everyone in the room was watching her carefully, waiting for her answer. "No," she said, "It doesn't matter even if I do. She'll just come back. These split people—they are connected, and I'm pretty sure they kind die while the other half is still alive."

"That makes sense," Zelena murmured to the nods of the others.

"They have Hook," David chimed in, and Emma frowned and rubbed her temples at the mess they were in.

"Well, we'll have to think of a plan," said Snow, ever the optimist. "But for now, let's calm down, maybe get some food at Granny's?"

David wrapped his arm around her. "Sounds like a plan to me," he said with a smile.

"I'm not leaving Regina," Emma said, staring at the mayor and hardly paying any mind to the others in the room, other than her son.

"We can take her with," Zelena explained. "You still have magic, Emma, you can teleport her there with you."

Emma's ears turned a shade of pink—she still sometimes forgot about her magic unless she was using it in the spur of the moment. "All right, I'll meet you guys there, and I'll put up a barrier since I'm the only one left with magic," she explained, "Well, other than the fairies."

All of the parents, Snow, David, and Zelena, paled at her words, thinking of their children.

"What?" Emma asked.

"The babies are with the fairies," Henry explained. "But the magical barriers are probably gone now since they were Zelena's and Mom's."

Emma nodded. "Not a problem. I'll stop there first and help the fairies put up new barriers, and then we'll meet at the diner. Sound good?" She had already snapped back into a pretty decent mood.

"Sounds good," Henry replied, throwing his arms around his mom for a tight hug. "I love you, Mom," he said.

Blinking at the sudden embrace, Emma hugged him back and whispered, "I love you too, kid."


	20. Episode 20: Give me a Reason

EPISODE 20: GIVE ME A REASON

Henry and Zelena sat at a table outside of the diner with their heads huddled together, whispering to one another. Zelena had approached Henry about her suspicions regarding Regina's conflicted feelings over the savior, and Henry, of course, had gotten excited and instantly roped his aunt into planning a new operation.

"Operation Meerkat," he whispered loudly before glancing around and lowering his voice. "You in?"

"Meerkat?" she questioned, and he nodded in response.

"All right, I'm in," she agreed. "What's the plan?"

Henry thought for a moment. "Well, from everything you've told me so far, it's clear Mom was already having mixed feelings before she kissed Mom…" he trailed off when he noticed Zelena's amused expression.

"Oh, right," he said, smiling sheepishly. "I mean, Regina was having mixed feelings. Did she really sleep holding Emma's hand every night?"

Zelena nodded with a small smile.

"Wow," he said with a grin. "And then she kissed her, and Emma woke up…they can't deny they are true loves, right?"

Zelena's smile faltered and she sighed. "Regina…she's pretty complicated, and your mom isn't much better. There's a good chance they'll find some excuse to push each other away."

Henry frowned as he considered her words, knowing them to be true. "I do have something that might help," he said, taking a story book page from his pocket and unfolding it, showing it to his aunt.

She looked it over, her emerald eyes glittering with her smile. "This is great, Henry."

He beamed, folding it back up and pocketing it. "I think," he said thoughtfully, "that we'll have better luck if we start with Emma. She's got her walls, but she's also very invested in Mom's happy ending. I'll tell her about the kiss, and show her this, and we'll see where it goes from there. If need be, I think you might need to talk to Emma. She's pretty immune to my attempts at being cute, and I'll talk to Mom. I'm still able to puppydog eye my way in with her sometimes."

Zelena nodded, staring proudly at her nephew. For all the things she had lost in her life, or missed out on, it suddenly seemed worth it to be where she was in that moment, with a loving family and this accepting boy.

* * *

Later that night, Emma sat in a chair next to Regina's bed in the inn resting her chin on her arms wrapped around her knees pulled up to her chest. She was tired, but sleep wouldn't come. Instead, she watched over her sleeping friend and her son as he snored softly on a cot on the other side of the mayor.

She thought about Killian, the man she had allowed herself to open up to despite her apprehension, and how he was just down the hall in a room looking after Belle. _His true love._

She couldn't help the part of her that felt bitter about the whole thing. After all they had been through, it was sort of a slap to the face, even if it wasn't exactly unexpected

Then she found herself thinking about Robin, and the first few times she had realized something was going on between him and Regina, like the time in the library when he had grabbed her hand and Emma had barely contained her displeased look.

Captain Guyliner—that's what Regina had always called Killian. She had always been teasing Emma about him, about how they were together, long before they actually were—almost as if she had been jealous. Emma's eyes widened as she looked over the sleeping mayor, wondering if maybe that was true.

Or maybe it was just because Emma had been one of the few people to stand up for Regina and the mayor had been worried about losing that support.

Or maybe she had imagined the whole jealousy thing altogether.

Emma closed her eyes and sighed, burying her fingers in her hair. She felt agitated and restless. Her ears were buzzing—no, whispering…something was whispering to her, calling to her.

Her eyes snapped back open as she stared out into the dim room. Quickly, but quietly, she donned her boots and her jacket before slipping into the hall, shutting the door softly behind her.

Tiptoeing, she made her way outside before stopping in her tracks and inwardly cursing at herself.

 _Magic, Emma, you idiot. You're the damn Savior, act like it._

With a flick of her wrist she teleported herself to the source of the whispers that echoed in her head—Killian's ship. There on the deck was the Dark One dagger, and from it the dark whispers called to Emma, caressing her thoughts. She looked around and saw that Gold's body was nowhere to be seen, and she imagined it must have vanished, whisked away by magic.

Cautiously, she picked up the dagger, holding it by its hilt in her right hand, keeping it far away from her body. She understood the command of the whispers, and yet she could not make sense of their words. Nonetheless, she knew what the dagger wanted, and so in an instant, she teleported herself back to the inn, this time outside of Killian's door.

* * *

After speaking with Killian and Belle, Emma snuck quietly back into the hall.

"Henry!" Emma jumped backwards and threw up her hands as she nearly collided with her son. "You scared me. What are you doing up?"

Henry chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile, an action that reminded Emma of herself. "I wanted to talk to you about something, now that we're alone," he explained. "But first, what are _you_ doing up?"

Emma shook her head with a grumble. "Let's head downstairs and then talk? I'll make you a hot chocolate." She flashed him a charming smile and he nodded, smiling back, before the two of them headed down into the diner.

Henry flipped on the lights and Emma set to work behind the counter, looking for everything she needed and setting to work making two hot chocolates with cinnamon. She set them on the counter, sliding on over to Henry and taking a seat next to him.

"So, who first?" she asked, far too awake for it being the middle of the night.

Henry rubbed his eyes and took a sip of his drink, wincing slightly at its heat. "You go first."

Emma chuckled at her son before adopting a more somber look. "Well, you know how the Dark One's powers pass to a new person when the previous one is killed, right?" She gave Henry a sidelong glance to gauge his mood—Gold had been his grandfather, after all, and they hadn't had a chance to talk about his death yet since it had happened.

"Yeah," he said softly. "But Belle seems fine, doesn't she?" He tapped on his cup, not looking up at his mother.

"Yeah, kid, I don't think it's her."

Henry was quiet for a moment before his eyes widened. "Her baby?" he asked, spinning on the stool to face his mom.

Emma nodded and took a drink, closing her eyes as the chocolate beverage warmed her inside. "I found the dagger," she explained, "It's blank right now, but it wanted to be with Belle, I could feel it."

Henry frowned. "What do we do?"

"I don't know," she answered, nursing her drink. "But that's not all. She's much bigger than she should be at this point."

"Like…when you made Zelena have her baby early?" he asked.

Emma sighed, not wanting to think about the things she had done as the dark one.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"It's okay, Hen. And, yeah, it's like that, I think." She bit her lip as she thought. "I just, we have too much other stuff to worry about right now. We'll deal with that once our current problems are out of the way, yeah?"

Henry nodded and downed the rest of his drink in a loud gulp.

"Kid, you have to promise me something, okay?" She looked at him with an expression that told him she was being very serious.

"Okay?"

"You have to promise me you won't go _anywhere_ alone. Stick with your mom, or David, or anyone, but don't ever be alone."

He could see the tears welling in her eyes and agreed. "Okay, Mom, I promise."

"Good," she said, turning back to face the counter and taking another drink. "I can't risk losing you, your mom would kill me."

Henry smiled—this seemed like as good of a time as any. "Okay, my turn," he said, startling Emma with his sudden excitement.

"Okay, what?" she asked, giving him a suspicious glance, trying to ascertain the meaning behind the glint in his eyes.

"I tried telling you this earlier, but you were too worked up, and then you left, and things have been pretty crazy…"

She eyed him cautiously, wondering where he was going with his rambling. "Okay…"

"I know who broke your curse," he spat out the sentence so quickly it was nearly a single word. He watched her carefully out of the corner of his eyes, the same as she was doing to him.

Emma nearly dropped her cup, gently setting it down once her fingers reobtained their hold. She held her breath and slowly turned to face him at the same time that he turned to face her.

He was quiet for a moment, unsure of how she would take the news, but he had to tell her—true love was the greatest magical force, surely she would want to know.

He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then said, "It was Mom."

Emma didn't move. She didn't blink. She still didn't breathe. Her mind raced and her heart danced awkwardly in her chest.

"Regina?" she whispered, the name hardly making it passed her lips.

Henry nodded.

Subconsciously, Emma brought her fingers to her lips, wondering if he could possibly be telling the truth. The implications were enormous, and terribly frightening, but also…nice.

"How do you know?" she asked, no longer really looking at him, but through him.

"Well, for starters, I was there. She thought I was sleeping, but I wasn't." Emma's ears turned a slight shade of pink at the thought of him witnessing the event. "But also…" Henry dug around in his pocket, pulling out the folded up story book page. He unfolded it and laid it out on the counter between them.

It was Emma, asleep on the bed, and Regina hovered over her with their lips pressed together in a soft kiss.

Emma took the page into her hands and tried to control the subtle trembling in her fingers as she read the words.

 _As Regina watched over the Savior and guarded her in her dreams, she came to realize something about herself, and about them. Somewhere along the way her heart had embraced the daughter of her former enemy, and with that realization Regina pushed aside her fears and gave the Savior a true love's kiss, waking Emma from her curse._

Emma swallowed hard and stared at the page long after she had read and reread its words, aware of Henry's stare. If he had written this, than it was true, and she couldn't deny the truth. Regina was her true love—they had shared a true love's kiss.

Her blood ran cold but her face flushed with heat. She lost the battle over her trembling and put the page down. What did this mean for them? Hook wasn't in the picture anymore, but that was so recent…and Regina, she had _just_ lost Robin, the man who was meant to be her soul mate.

And Regina…was Regina. Her best friend. Could they really be something more?

 _Soul mates_. She bit her lip as she remembered her dream, when she had told Regina that she believed they must be soul mates as well.

She finally allowed herself to look at her son— _their son_ , and found herself smiling.

"Does this mean you'll be together now?" he asked cautiously, barely holding back a smile.

Emma's smile faltered, just slightly, and she glanced back at the page. "I'm not sure, Henry. Things are…complicated. Your mom has been hurt a lot in the past, and…I'm just not sure." She gave him a half-smile and he nodded in return. "Do you mind if I keep this?" she asked, holding up the page, and when he nodded again she folded it up, shoving it into the pocket of her jacket.

"Thanks, Kid," she said with a smile, leaning over to ruffle his hair. "You better get back to bed, and uh, don't get your hopes up too much, okay?"

"All right," he said begrudgingly, hiding his smile, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm just going to sit and think for a bit," she answered as she watched him depart. "Night, Hen."

"G'night, Mom," he gave her one final smile before departing into the back hallway and back up to the room.

Emma sat for a while, deep in thought, trying to figure out how to proceed, or if she was sure she even wanted to. It was a lot to risk. Her friendship with the mayor had grown to be incredibly important to her—if she were to try for more, it could push Regina away, and if they went or it and something happened, she couldn't imagine the aftermath for them or Henry.

She put a hand over the place in her chest where her heart should be, instead feeling Regina's beating calmly. It had been Snow's idea, to take Regina's heart as she had taken Emma's, with the idea that it being with Emma might help heal Regina and help her wake up sooner. It was a warm sensation, as if she was enveloped by Regina, and she wondered if Regina felt the same way, having her heart in her chest.

"I need to go to bed," she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

* * *

Regina awoke to a dim room feeling quite dazed. She sat up slowly, looking around, surprised to see her son sleeping on a cot beside her and Emma curled up in a chair on the other side. It took a moment longer before she realized where she was. She glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table to see that it was just before dawn, and yet she felt wide awake and quite rejuvenated.

She pulled away the covers and was somewhat surprised to find herself in the same dress pants and vest she had been wearing before casting the spell, before realizing that it made complete sense that nobody would want to violate her privacy in order to change her into something else.

She found herself incredibly hungry, so, with a contented smile at Henry and Emma, she quietly made her way out of the room and downstairs, searching for something to satisfy the need.

* * *

"You let him escape?" the Evil Queen bellowed, her face twisted with her anger. The vessels at her temples popped as she glared at Hyde, and he just calmly watched as she paced the room in her murderous rage, unimpressed, and his attitude angered her even further.

He made no mention that she was just as much at fault as he.

Her nostrils flared as she stared him down, but soon she settled into a cool, seething fury, narrowing her eyes as she considered him closely. Quite frankly, she was done with his games. She had played along, humoring the idea of having a new kingdom to rule, but the idea no longer intrigued her, especially if she had to continue to work alongside this brute. Storybrooke was already her town, regardless of what he said.

"I'm going to go find the third staff, since you have failed to do so," she said in a clipped tone, making her way towards the office door, sashaying in her tight dress. She stepped over Hyde's minion, who was rescued from Zelena's cellar during their search for the staff, only to be killed by Hyde for his incompetence. The Evil Queen approved of the punishment, but she did wish for the beastly man to at least dispose of the body.

Hyde sneered at her from where he sat at the desk. "Isn't that a bit dangerous for you, what with you not having your magic?"

She shot him a quick, simmering look and gave a dark laugh. "What, do you think I need a big brute such as yourself to look after me? Don't underestimate me, dear. I'll be just fine." She strolled out the door, slamming it not so-gracefully shut behind her.

It was early in the morning, just after dawn, and the town was still pretty dim as the sun just peeked over the horizon. Still fuming, she made her way towards the diner, her heels clacking on the streets and sidewalks as she went. Once she made it to the diner, she cautiously peeked into the front window.

* * *

Regina strolled out of the kitchen, taking the final crunchy bite of her apple and tossing the core into a nearby garbage can, before nearly choking when she saw the Evil Queen standing in the dining room twirling Jafar's staff in her hands.

"Look what I found," the Evil Queen teased.

"What are you doing here?" Regina hissed.

The Evil Queen sneered back, crossing her arms over her chest. "I just needed the staff," she said, caressing its golden surface. "I also wanted to check in," she lied smoothly. "How is the Savior?" Her voice dripped with some sort of insinuation.

Regina's lips curled into a sneer of her own. "Emma is just fine, despite your curse and your…manipulations."

"Oh, so she told you about that, did she?" The Evil Queen grinned maliciously, a visage Regina realized she did not enjoy seeing on her face. "Did she tell you how much she enjoyed it, dear? Because I can tell you, she most certainly did—gave me a real royal treatment."

Regina burned with a deep hatred for her other self and she desperately wanted her magic back so she could incinerate the Evil Queen for her words. She briefly considered tapping into Emma's magic, but doing so took a great toll. "Shut your mouth," she snarled, trying to maintain control.

"Does it bother you to know what she and I shared?"

"You shared nothing," Regina retorted. "She didn't know it was you."

"But she did think I was you, and she was so very eager—how does that make you feel?" The Evil Queen gave a knowing laugh and Regina took a deep breath, not bothering to answer. "It _was_ you, right? You woke her up?"

Again, Regina gave no answer, but the truth was clear in her eyes.

"I wondered how long it would take for you to figure it out," the Queen taunted. "Did you ever stop to wonder how I was able to remove her heart? Mother couldn't do it, but I could."

Regina hadn't considered that, in fact, but it made sense now that she knew they were true loves.

"Even I could tell, in that moment she and I shared, despite the fact that I am only darkness and true love is light. And now that you know," the Evil Queen continued, "I figured Emma was the perfect target to show you how weak you are for loving her." Her voice dropped and it sent chills down Regina's spine.

Regina didn't want to hear any more, but she knew they were evenly matched so there was little she could do. "Don't you have realms to merge or something?" she asked, eyeing the staff that the Evil Queen had found snooping about upstairs.

The Evil Queen snarled. "I want nothing to do with that," she admitted. "In fact, that's the real reason I am here. I have…a proposition for you."

"What?" Regina couldn't believe her ears.

"Hyde is a brutish fool, and I tired of him. Storybrooke is mine. I don't need a new kingdom, and quite frankly, I want him dead."

It was strange hearing that murderous intention in her own voice from the outside, strange and frightening. "So you want our help?"

"You know as well as I that us halves cannot be killed. I need him to be rejoined with his other half so that I can crush his heart for good."

"Why would we help you?" Regina drawled.

"Because, I have information you might find useful," the Evil Queen smirked. "I can tell you how to stop the ritual to merge the realms."

So they made a deal, reluctantly, sharing the information they had in order to use the other to their benefit. Regina explained that Jekyl was working on a potion to rejoin the two halves, and the Evil Queen explained about the ritual to merge the realms, and together they devised a look plan to force Hyde to drink the potion.

* * *

Emma awoke but kept her eyes shut, thinking over her conversation with Henry. The page in her pocket called out to her fingertips, but she left it alone, letting the anxious feeling build up. She felt anxious and pent up and decided she would go for a morning jog, if she could, but when she opened her eyes she was surprised to find that Regina was no longer in bed.

She stood, ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to control her messy hair, and wrote a quick note to Henry letting him know that she was either downstairs or gone for a run. Then she headed out and made her way downstairs, only to nearly run into Regina as she turned the corner into the dining room.

Regina raised a brow at Emma. "Going somewhere?"

Emma smiled sheepishly. "I've got a bit too much pent up energy, so I thought I'd go for a run" she explained with a wave of her hands, biting her lip. "I have, after all," she teased, "been sleeping for quite a while."

The mayor rolled her eyes and walked back into the dining room with Emma following suit. "That's no reason to go out alone. It's dangerous."

It was Emma's turn to roll her eyes. "You banished dark magic. I think I'll be fine." She gave Regina a once over. "How are you feeling, by the way? Should you really be up?"

"Me?" she scoffed in response. "You were the one cursed for over a week! Besides, I feel just fine. Better than fine, really."

Emma looked away as a slight blush reached her ears and Regina raised her brow in question. "I have your heart," Emma explained, putting her hand over her chest. "You had mine, so I thought I'd take care of yours…and I thought it might help you heal."

Regina was quiet for a moment, trying to maintain control over the emotions she felt. After a while, she managed a small, "Oh. Well, thank you." And then after a beat, she added, "Shall we trade back?" She didn't really want to, in all honesty. She enjoyed the feeling of having Emma with her, but she wasn't going to admit that out loud, and so they traded hearts, neither admitting how incomplete they felt without the other's heart, despite the fact that they also felt _more_ complete having their own once again.

"Well," Emma said once they were done, feeling even more anxious, "I'm going for my run. I'll be fine, I promise. I just…need to get out of here for a bit."

Regina sighed. "Fine," she conceded, "but I'm coming with you." She had some time, according to the Evil Queen, before the ritual would take place.

"What?" Emma sputtered. The whole point was to get some distance from Regina in order to clear her mind.

Regina raised her brow once again, giving Emma a steely gaze. "Do you not wish for my company?" She was giving a brave face, but the insinuation hurt. They had been so close, in the dreams and outside as well, earlier that morning. Was Emma pushing her away now?

"No!" Emma answered a bit too loudly. "That's not it," she said again in a whisper, "I'd love to have you join me," it was only partially a lie. "We can just go for a walk instead."

With narrowed eyes Regina stared at Emma for a moment before giving her a small smile instead. "That sounds nice, actually. Shall we?"

Regina's smile caused Emma to smile despite herself, and before she got too flustered she led the way.

* * *

"I dunno, Gina…" Emma took a deep breath as they walked side-by-side down the sidewalk.

They had already discussed all of the other topics Emma could think of. With nothing else to talk about, it had seemed like a good time (as good as it would ever be, anyway) to bring up the kiss, and, as expected, Regina had reacted defensively, even when confronted with Henry's story page.

"Don't you think we owe it to ourselves to try?" she continued, peering into the sorrowful, frightened brown eyes that gazed back at her. "I'm so tired of pushing people away... I just…want to be happy." She reached out and brushed away a lone tear that had drifted down Regina's cheek. "And I promised you I would help you find your happy ending."

Regina gave a quiet laugh that was half sob. "I know I acted like it with Robin, but I really don't think happy endings are found in other people. I think I just have to allow myself to be happy…to…to see all that I already have." She gave a small smile. "But, I am happy that you're part of it, no matter what happens…" she added, almost bashfully, and Emma's heart nearly burst through her chest.

Emma bit her lip and glanced down at Regina's lips and back to her eyes, trying to read the apprehension she saw in the dark hues. When Regina's eyes made their own quick glance towards Emma's lips, she saw it as her cue and leaned forward, closing her eyes when she saw Regina leaning to meet her half way.

But then Regina took a step back and Emma opened her eyes, all too aware of the sudden space between her and the mayor.

"Regina?" she asked softly, her green eyes begging for answers.

Regina shifted from heel to heel with her arms crossed, uncharacteristically fidgety. "I'm sorry, Emma. I just can't. I can't do this." Tears welled up in her eyes and began to fall, but when Emma stepped forward to wipe them away, she took another step back.

Emma felt as though she had stopped breathing. Her chest burned and her throat was swollen with the effort of holding back her tears. "Why?"

She knew she was being a coward, but Regina just couldn't fight through it, not after losing both Daniel and Robin—not after her unfortunate meeting with her evil counterpart. Emma already had so much to deal with as the Savior. Putting another target on her back as the woman Regina loved…she just couldn't do that, couldn't risk that, so instead, she just walked away without another word.

Emma watched after Regina, torn between anger and grief, feeling once again like a small child in the foster system, being turned away by yet another family. She bit her lip and bounced on her heels, desperately searching for a solution, an idea.

And then one came. She set her face into a look of determination and, with a plan inspired by her son's romantic endeavors, sprinted after the woman she needed to convince to be brave.

"Regina, wait!" she called out, and Regina, against what she considered her better judgment, did just that, stopping but not turning around to face the blonde.

Emma slowed her approach and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She pulled out a set of ear buds as well, and set to untangling them.

Regina turned around and gave Emma a curious look.

"Bear with me," Emma said as she untangled the cord. "Just…listen to this song for me, please?"

Regina sighed but nodded. "Fine, Miss Swan, I'll listen to your song."

Emma bit her tongue and lowered her head, pretending to be focused on the tangle and not just hiding her disappointment at their return to such formal names. Finally, the mess was undone and she plugged them into her phone, scrolling through her music until she found the right one. She handed Regina one ear bud and took the other one, and once they were both ready, she pushed play on "Just Give me a Reason" by Pink.

Emma took a deep breath as the song began to play.

 _Right from the start  
You were a thief  
You stole my heart  
And I your willing victim_

She was all too aware of how close she was to Regina, shoulder to shoulder, despite the fact that the mayor tried to keep herself turned away.

 _I let you see the parts of me  
That weren't all that pretty  
And with every touch you fixed them_

She breathed out and closed her eyes, listening closely to the lyrics and hoping Regina would understand the message she was trying to convey, especially in the next line:

 _Now you've been talking in your sleep, oh, oh  
Things you never say to me, oh, oh_

She tried to look at Regina's face, to see what she was feeling, but Regina was adamant about keeping herself facing away. Nonetheless, Emma tried to stay hopeful as the next bit of the song started.

 _Just give me a reason  
Just a little bit's enough  
Just a second we're not broken just bent  
And we can learn to love again  
It's in the stars  
It's been written in the scars on our hearts  
We're not broken just bent  
And we can learn to love again_

She felt Regina shift next to her and turned to face her, not caring if she wanted to stay facing away or not.

Regina was crying—tears falling quietly as she listened, and she felt quite foolish for her emotional response. As Emma turned to face her she looked back into those soul-searching green eyes, doing nothing to hide her falling tears.

 _Your head is running wild again  
My dear we still have everythin'  
And it's all in your mind  
(Yeah, but this is happenin')_

Seeing those beautiful brown eyes full of such sorrow and pain broke Emma's heart, but it made her all the more determined to see this through, to give Regina a happiness she was suddenly so sure she could provide if given the chance. It all made so much sense.

 _Just give me a reason  
Just a little bit's enough  
Just a second we're not broken just bent  
And we can learn to love again  
I never stopped  
You're still written in the scars on my heart  
You're not broken just bent  
And we can learn to love again_

Emma reached up with both hands and placed them on Regina's cheeks, wiping away the tears with her thumbs, forcing herself not to cry as well. She gave Regina a small, unsure smile, and Regina closed her eyes and leaned against Emma's hands with a sigh.

 _Oh, tear ducts and rust  
I'll fix it for us  
We're collecting dust  
But our love's enough  
You're holding it in  
You're pouring a drink  
No nothing is as bad as it seems  
We'll come clean_

Regina opened her eyes and gazed into Emma's eyes, overwhelmed with her emotions, the fear, the adoration, the love…

 _Just give me a reason  
Just a little bit's enough  
Just a second we're not broken just bent  
And we can learn to love again  
It's in the stars  
It's been written in the scars on our hearts  
That we're not broken just bent  
And we can learn to love again_

Emma peered back, stroking Regina's cheeks as her eyes asked for permission for something more. She leaned in slowly, waiting for Regina to pull away again, and when that didn't happen she closed her eyes and to close the distance between them.

 _Oh, we can learn to love again  
Oh, we can learn to love again  
Oh, oh, that we're not broken just bent  
And we can learn to love again_

Emma's heart was racing and she could feel Regina's breath against her lips—just a bit closer…

But before she made contact Regina gasped and stumbled backwards, grasping her chest.

"Gina?" Emma panicked, rushing forward to catch her friend if she were to fall.

"It's back. My magic is back." Regina exclaimed, looking both happy and worried, for if her magic was back, so was the Evil Queen's.

Emma growled, frustrated. They had been so, so close, and she wanted nothing more than to pull Regina close and kiss her softly, but now was not the time—the moment was gone.

Now was the time to take down Hyde and the Evil Queen. I suppose we'd better get back to the diner," she sighed, running a hand through her messy locks.

Regina nodded, and for what it was worth, looked legitimately sorry about the turn of events, no matter how confused and unsure she felt. Her heart too was still racing from what had almost occurred.


	21. Episode 21: Heart and Sand

EPISODE 21: HEART AND SAND

Regina paced the small kitchen in the Charmings' loft with her arms folded over her chest and her heels clicking on the floor. The noise was wearing down on the nerves of Snow and Charming, but they didn't dare to say a thing. With a sigh, she sat herself gracefully upon a stool at the counter and opened a story book to a loose page that Henry had created sometime in the night.

 **Image: The Savior held tightly against the Evil Queen as a hostage with Regina Mills looking on in anger.**

Regina pulled her lips into a line as she stared down at the page, barely holding back a shudder of…rage? Panic? Fear? She couldn't quite place the emotion, but she did not dwell on it, either—there were more important things to be thinking about.

Emma Swan was missing, along with the pirate, Belle, and Sidney Glass of all people, whisked away through yet another portal at the end of the fight against Hyde and the Evil Queen, and although Hyde was no longer a threat, the Evil Queen was still out there, somewhere.

Everything had happened so quickly.

Emma and Regina had hardly made it back to the diner before things went down. Hyde and the Evil Queen appeared in the center of town and magic crackled in the air, signaling the beginning of the ritual to merge the realms. Everything had kicked into gear then, the various heroes taking up various roles in the attempt to stop the merger.

Snow and Charming, Henry and Zelena, and Hook and Belle took off towards the edge of the town to find and remove the three staves if they could, directed, unbeknownst to them, by the intel given by the Evil Queen.

Emma, Regina, and Dr. Jekyl made their way for a showdown with Mr. Hyde and the Evil Queen. It was a flurry of action and magic through the air as the Evil Queen fought off Regina, Dr. Jekyl weakly faced Mr. Hyde, and Emma through in her magic and wit wherever she could.

It was chaos, and in that chaos no one noticed as Regina slipped a small vial to the Evil Queen, the finished rejoining potion that Jekyl had made. Then, in what seemed like a severe breach of their loose alliance, the Evil Queen suddenly had Emma in her arms, her own personal hostage, and the fight came to a standstill.

And then suddenly everything was happening at once.

The ritual, which had been vibrating the air with its magic, growing in strength by the minute, came to a shuddering halt: one of the teams had been successful in finding a staff.

Regina turned the page.

 **Image: A grotesque illustration of a man in pain with features of two separate men. An empty potion vial rested at his feet and the Evil Queen with Emma in her arms stood behind him on one side with Regina behind him on the other.**

Regina had captured Hyde at that very moment, and worked together with the Evil Queen to force the potion down his throat, much to Emma's surprise, and yet the Queen did not let go of her hostage. Jekyl followed suit, drinking his potion, and the two men joined together once more in what seemed to be a very painful melting and meshing of flesh until they stood as one, rapidly morphing features from one to the other until only Hyde remained, having won the battle against his weaker self.

Then, with a quick tug while the man was still stunned, the Evil Queen pulled out his heart.

No amount of pleading from anyone left standing was enough to stop her from crushing his heart with an evil sneer, leaving the dust to scatter in the wind.

Her heart beat faster as she turned the page yet again, not wanting to face the loss that occurred on the next.

 **Image: A red genie with an evil sneer holding in his giant hands the genie, Sidney Glass, and the mother of the unborn Dark One, Belle. Behind him is a portal.**

Thunderous footsteps had echoed from all around as they were joined by the other groups, each carrying a staff, and overhead a dark red cloud was forming, twisting and turning in the sky like a tornado until it took form—the form of a red-skinned genie, accidentally set free from the staff.

In one hand he held Sidney Glass, his nemesis, and in the other he held Belle, who held the Dark One inside her.

Then there was a portal and the genie, Jafar, was making his way through it.

It happened so fast, but it felt like slow motion.

Hook ran towards the portal and Emma had turned around, catching the Evil Queen by surprise, ripping out her heart.

Hook jumped through, chasing after his newfound love, and Emma freed herself from the Evil Queen's grasp.

Emma shared a quick look with Regina, a look that said more words than the mayor could understand, and then she was off through the portal as well.

Others tried to follow: Henry, the Charmings, and Regina, but the portal closed, leaving them separated once again.

Regina let out a long, shaking breath that she hadn't been aware of holding and slowly turned the page once more to the newest edition that Henry had brought down not long before.

 **Image: Hook and Emma walk side by side through the sand towards the city of Agrabah—the bright city shaded by a dark red cloud overhead.**

She stared down at the page, trying her best to fight off the anxious, jealous feeling writhing in her mind and stomach. The words of the page did little to help, mentioning how the two heroes have chased after the newest evil in their quest for good.

Why had Emma chased after the pirate like that? Did she still love him? Regina struggled to wrangle her wild thoughts. She could not figure out what it is she wanted or how she felt, but she did know how that song had made her feel, and how her heart had raced in that moment, so near to kissing Emma's lips.

But now Emma was gone, chasing after her the one-handed wonder yet again, and Regina felt…she felt…

She felt angry.

But it wasn't as angry as she wanted to be. It seemed that anger, that vengeful, powerful anger, had been taken from her when she split from the Evil Queen. So instead, she was angry, but also so very…empty. Bereft of sense and purpose.

Sad.

Tired.

 _Hopeless._

She had no way of knowing, after all, that at that very moment the duo was trekking ever nearer the shining desert city, talking about her and about true love.

She couldn't know that Emma was laying it out for Hook, reason by reason, memory by memory. Telling him about how she had fallen in love. When it had started. How it had grown.

How she had tried to fight it.

She was the Savior, after all. She wasn't meant to love the Evil Queen. _Former_ Evil Queen—was she?

But Hook thought so.

Even though it did hurt to realize just how long Emma had been harboring those feelings, he could not fault her. She had given their relationship a fair chance, after all. But now he was pushing her forward.

Towards the city.

Towards Regina.

Because it _did_ make sense.

The Savior was created by true love. She was a product of love. She was meant to love.

She was destined to defeat the Evil Queen.

To chase off that darkness.

To protect the ones she loved.

So she did—she had led Regina towards the light.

She had given Regina the strength to move passed the darkness.

She had believed in her as only the Savior could.

She had loved her.

She still loved her.

And once they were done rescuing Belle and destroying yet another dark foe, she needed to find a way back to her.

And she agreed, flashing him that wide charming smile.

She would find her way back. She would always come back to her.

Henry came bounding down the stairs, causing both of the Charmings to jump slightly on the couch where they sat cuddled up and half asleep.

"Another page!" He called out happily, slapping it down too loudly on the counter next to his mom. She was tired, irritated, and on edge, but his excitement brought a smile to her face. He had his moments, but he was so often the optimistic one and for that she was thankful.

Maybe being descended from the Charmings wasn't _so_ bad, after all.

"Good job, Henry," she beamed, picking it up to look at the image on the page, trying to ignore the presence of Emma's parents now hovering over her shoulder to see as well. She couldn't, after all, deny them access to information on their daughter.

 **Image: Emma, Hook, Aladdin, and Jasmin stand outside of a closed gate, looking puzzled and pensive.**

 _Caption: The Savior, the pirate, Aladdin, and Sultana Jasmin found themselves locked out of the city, and they must work together to get inside in order to defeat the evil genie, Jafar, who has sought to obtain the powers of the Dark One._

"Well, at least now we know why he took Belle," Snow whispered with a frown as Charming rubbed her back, looking equally as distressed at the idea.

"He probably took Sidney because he's the other genie, and helped to take him down in the first place," Henry added, supplementing the story with what he knew of the tale of Aladdin.

Regina sighed. She didn't care about any of that, or at least, not very much. Not at that moment, when Emma was in some foreign land and there was so much between them that hadn't been dealt with.

The night went on slowly. The Charmings dozed lightly on the couch, waiting for another update. Regina eventually gave in to her fatigue as well, sitting in a small uncomfortable chair. She meant only to rest, but she found herself nodding off on occasion as well.

They were interrupted throughout the night by Henry with another new page of the story.

 **Image: Sidney looks miserable in a cage in the back of the scene as Jafar looms over Belle who sleeps on a slab. He is trying to steal the magic of the Dark One.**

 **Image: An epic battle between dark and light, between the Savior and the red genie, as the others dodge bolts of magic and try to free Belle and Sidney and to recapture or defeat Jafar.**

 **Image: Aladdin, Jasmin, and Sidney embrace as Emma, Belle, and Hook wave goodbye, standing in front of another portal.**

 **Image: Emma, Belle, and Hook are in Storybrooke once again. Emma is holding up the Evil Queen's dark heart. Behind them the clock tower strikes dawn against a blood-red sky.**

They were home.

A/N: This chapter is short. I know. I'm sorry. I'm also sorry for the delay. I really struggled with this one for some reason. There is only one chapter left in this story, at least for part one. If you guys are interested, I have loose plans to continue with a part 2, one that has much less build up and much more direct Swanqueen. Let me know what you think!


	22. Episode 22: The Savior's Conquest

EPISODE 22: THE SAVIOR'S CONQUEST

Before Emma had even been conceived, so much of her life had already been decided by fate, and that had only increased as the years went on as she became a pawn in the plans of others. Rumpelstiltskin, of course, was the main cause of this, using her, a child of true love, as a pawn in his overall scheme to enact and then break the dark curse. But others had their fair share of meddling in her life as well. Even her parents had stepped in to control her fate, taking away her darkness and giving it to Lily.

It was her fate to destroy the Evil Queen and to break her curse. This was the prophesy laid out in Henry's first book. This was the reason her parents had abandoned her, an infant, alone to an unfamiliar world.

She had no doubt that, had her mother come with her through the wardrobe, she would have been raised with that goal in mind: destroy the Evil Queen. But, as fate would have it, she had been sent alone, and so she wasn't raised with that mentality. In fact, she had hardly been raised at all, bounced from foster home to foster home and from one shitty situation to another.

Nonetheless, it seemed as though she had retained some of her mother's incessant hope, for when she had finally come face to face with Regina, the Evil Queen, she did not…what, what was she supposed to do, slay her? No, she hadn't done that.

No. Instead, she did what Snow and Charming had tried to do countless times before. She gave Regina hope and a second chance.

Even before that, Emma had accidentally given Regina a _reason_ for wanting to be better—her son, Henry. And then she had given Regina something her life had been sorely lacking—a friend. Someone who believed in her no matter what. Someone who understood her and the darkness inside of her. Someone who pushed her to constantly do better, who challenged her when she was wrong.

Someone who believed she deserved a happy ending and fought with all her power to provide it.

Emma was the Savior. She never strayed from that title, from that fate, but she did challenge it in her own unique ways. She did things her own way. She constantly surprised people with the actions she took: befriending the Evil Queen, taking on the darkness, marching straight into the Underworld for a man she wasn't sure was her true love or not. The fact of the matter was that she would have done so for anyone she cared about.

This day was no different. On this day, a day in the early months of Autumn, seemingly no different from any other day, Emma Swan finally fulfilled her prophecy to the fullest, and she did so in a way no one could possibly have seen coming.

At least, not in the beginning. But perhaps if they had watched carefully over the years they may have gotten a few hints along the way. In retrospect, a lot of things made a lot of sense.

So finally, on that cool day in a magical town tucked away in Maine, this tale unfolded…

As Regina closed the book on Henry's newest page, there was a knock on the front door. Henry bolted towards it without a second thought, and Regina missed as she reached out to stop him, just in case. It could have been the Evil Queen, after all, but they were all pretty certain about who it was.

He unlocked the door and threw it open, throwing himself into the arms of his mother on the other side, and she held him back tightly, rocking side to side with him, noticing just how tall he was getting. Too tall. Growing up far too quickly.

What she wouldn't give for a break from the fairy tale nonsense for just a bit so she could spend some real quality time with him. And his mother.

She stepped inside as he let go, looking around the room with an unsure, sheepish expression. She knew, of course, that they'd be ecstatic about her return, but she also knew that she was likely in for an earful about how reckless she had been, jumping through the portal to Agrabah like she had.

She hugged both of her parents as they too threw their arms around her, but she looked beyond them, over their shoulders at the woman perched at the counter, the woman she now knew to be her true love.

Regina stared back, unsure of herself, of what to do. The new knowledge they had about one another played through her mind, as did that song Emma had made her listen to, and it made everything so terribly awkward and uncertain.

Nobody else noticed her uncertainty. It was normal for Regina to hang back a little at times, no matter if they all considered her a part of the family. They just thought she was likely giving them some space to welcome back their daughter. They had no idea of the turmoil in her mind, and they had no idea about the revelation they knew, the secret they shared that only Henry knew.

Henry noticed, looking between his mothers with an unsure expression of his own. He wanted them to cross the distance to one another, both literally and figuratively. Regina had, after all, already kissed Emma once. If she hadn't, the Savior would still be asleep in her own little curse. Younger Henry would not have understood their hesitation. He would likely have created some sort of operation to push them together. This Henry though, this older and wiser Henry, he understood, at least to an extent.

They had been through so much and as always it happened so quickly. Emma had, until very, very recently thought that maybe Hook had been the one. Regina had, until he literally sacrificed himself for her, been with a man who was literally her soul mate. It was too soon for them to come together, especially considering the current amount of chaos that was their life.

But, he also understood something else. Perhaps in many ways this was too soon, but he also understood that they had been developing feelings for one another for far longer than just recently, for years before that fateful kiss that pulled Emma from her curse. He looked back on the years and saw things in a new light, those lingering gazes, the small touches, and grand gestures of what everyone had just assumed was friendship. He realized that if Emma had been a man things would have been different. He knew that everyone would have easily seen what he was now seeing. It wasn't just a friendship that had been building, it had been so much more.

Emma and Regina were coming to some similar realizations of their own, looking back on their lives in that new light as well, and realizing that their feelings for one another went back a lot further than they would have liked to admit, than they ever would have admitted.

Snow and Charming were asking questions and Emma was answering them, but her mind was not with them. She answered mechanically, barely registering their words. Her mind was across the room where her body craved to be. Literally. She could feel a pull in that direction, an intermingling of magic that drew her towards Regina, and she wondered if it had always been there and she just hadn't noticed.

Regina felt it too. She held her breath and tried to ignore it. She wasn't ready for these feelings. She wasn't ready to face Emma, or the…whatever it was they had between them. She would rather face down the Evil Queen.

Whether or not she was ready to face it, she had little choice as Emma broke away from her parents and walked towards her. Time slowed, it seemed, and she took a deep breath, holding on to the story book as if it was some sort of life line.

"Hey, Regina," Emma greeted simply.

Regina nodded, not trusting her voice, and Emma would have been upset with the lack of a real greeting if she couldn't see everything going on in Regina's mind through her dark eyes. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, they weren't given much time for anything else as the other three joined them around the counter.

"So, should we come up with a plan?" Snow asked, and Charming flashed her his namesake smile before turning it on everyone else.

Regina nearly melted when Emma flashed her own, a sure sign of her parentage, and directed it first straight at her before smiling back at her father.

Emma held up her fist to look at the black heart she held, the Evil Queen's, and everyone stared at it curiously, except for Regina. She, unlike the others, had a hard time looking into its dark, murky depths. It was a reminder of how far she had once sunk into the darkness, of just how much she had given in to its lure.

Emma looked right at her with a frightening amount of understanding in her green eyes. She spoke, and though everyone could hear her as they stood huddled together, it was clear that her words were for Regina only, directed straight at her. "It isn't you, you know. It's weird, holding this heart. I can almost feel you," there was a connotation here missed by the others, for Regina and Emma really did know, intimately, what the other's heart felt like, having had carried it inside of themselves. "I can sense a similarity to your heart, way down within," she held the heart up to her eyes and looked closely at it, "but it's so very different. There is no light here."

Regina was caught off guard for a moment, but she quickly pulled herself back together. "That's why we need to take her out as soon as possible. As the Evil Queen, I still had a tiny bit of light left inside. If I hadn't, I never would have been able to come back from everything…everything that I had done. And despite that light…well you know what I was capable of. This version of the Evil Queen, she has no light, and if we don't stop her soon, well, I dread to think of what she will do."

Snow shuddered and Henry frowned, giving his mother a knowing look, one that told her to stop blaming herself, for everything, for the past and for the now, for letting the Evil Queen go.

"What can we do?" David asked, leaning back with his arms over his chest in a pose that Emma often mimicked.

"We can control her with the heart, right?" Snow asked tentatively. She didn't like the idea of using a heart to control someone, but they had the heart already, and it seemed like a better choice than letting the Evil Queen run amok. As the target of the Evil Queen's terror in the past, the idea was rather terrifying for her.

Regina nodded, reaching up and pushing Emma's hand away, putting the heart out of sight. She couldn't stand seeing it any longer, but the action had her mind reeling for a different reason. The feel of her fingers on Emma's sent a shock through her system and, judging by the look Emma gave her, Emma felt it too. She suddenly wanted to reach out again to feel those fingers—to hold them with her own, as she had done so many nights while Emma was cursed. Of course, she did no such thing, instead turning back to the others.

"Controlling her isn't much of a long-term solution though," Emma added, turning away from Regina as well and ignoring the uneasy feeling in her gut and the racing of her heart.

"Do you want to kill her?" Henry squeaked. That had been the original plan, and he knew deep down that this wasn't his mom they were talking about, but it was still hard to think about. He found it strange considering how adamant his ten year old self had been about his birth mother destroying the Evil Queen.

Regina sighed. "I wanted her gone." She rubbed her temples. "I was weak and didn't want to deal with the darkness any more, but I realize now that the only way to control it is to house it inside of me."

The others nodded with solemn expressions. They knew that they could not truly defeat the Evil Queen without also destroying Regina, and that wasn't something they were willing to do. Like Hyde and Jekyl, the only way was to join them back together and to hope that Regina was still strong enough to control and contain the darkness.

"Unless we just…control her with the heart, imprison her somewhere where she can't get out and can't endanger anyone." Emma looked around, wondering if her idea was as pathetic as she felt.

Snow looked at Charming and he looked back. They both knew that such a plan would never work, not for long. They had had similar plans in their own day when they had been unwilling to end Regina's life. Luckily, Regina took the burden of having to say anything away from them.

She shook her head. "No," she said, "that is too risky. The only place to truly contain her is right back where she came from." She placed her hand over her heart and closed her eyes, thinking about and dreading having that darkness inside of her once again. But now, she knew, she could handle it. She opened her eyes and glanced at Emma, and the look in Emma's eyes gave her the faith she needed to have in herself to succeed.

"How do we put you back together?" Henry asked. He yawned and shook his head, muttering a sorry.

"You should get to bed, Kid," Emma said, frowning at her son, but he shook his head, his shaggy hair going everywhere. She knew better than to argue with him. She knew to pick her battles, and this one didn't seem quite as important as others, especially when Regina wasn't backing her up. If she was okay with him being up this late, Emma was too.

Charming spoke, turning back to the subject at hand. "Hyde used the potion, and without him I don't know if we can make any more."

They talked over potential plans until both Henry and Emma were yawning, the rest following suit, and the Savior looked as though she were ready to keel over at any minute. With the consensus that it was better to rest and tackle the planning when they were all feeling a bit more awake, they split up to sleep.

Emma was given her old room, which now also held a crib, but Charming carried it out and into their bedroom instead for the night. Emma, however, gave up the bedroom to Regina and opted to take the couch instead. By the time they finished planning their sleeping arrangements, Henry had already passed out in the recliner.

No matter how absolutely exhausted she felt, Emma couldn't fall asleep. It wasn't even that she was nervous that the Evil Queen was going to pop in at any moment: they were protected by a barrier and she had the Queen's heart sitting right next to her in a box. She simply couldn't force herself to drift off into the land of dreams. She thought about why that might be, and thought perhaps it had to do with the sleeping curse. Perhaps, no matter how tired she was, her subconscious was afraid of returning to that realm of nightmares.

She bit her lip and stared up at the ceiling, listening to her son's soft snores and the noises of the old building. Her body knew exactly what it wanted for comfort and her magic tingled beneath her skin at the realization. When she had been under the curse it had been Regina who brought her a sense of safety. It was in Regina's arms that she was able to relax and even sleep, truly sleep. She rolled over and buried her face in the couch cushion, trying to drive that thought away. No matter what they had learned about their relationship, she had already accepted that things were in no way that simple between them. She couldn't just waltz upstairs and intrude upon Regina in that way. They both needed time to come to terms with everything if they were going to pursue something more—if they would even do so.

And yet, when the minutes turned into hours and her body and magic grew restless for a sense of relief, she found herself doing just that, tiptoeing as quietly as she could up the stairs and pushing the door to her old room open with a whisper of a creak.

"Regina?" she called out softly, wondering if the other woman was awake, though she doubted this would be the case, considering just how long she had tried in vain to find her own sleep.

So she was a little bit surprised when a quiet voice responded, "Yes, Emma?"

Emma bit her lip again and slid into the room, closing the door softly behind her. Her eyes adjusted to the small amount of light in the room coming from outside and she could see Regina sitting up in bed looking towards her. She looked tired, but not surprised to see her.

"I can't sleep," Emma answered, as if that somehow explained why she was up there in the room, in the middle of the night.

She expected some quip from Regina about that not being her problem or about some level of ineptitude from the Savior, but instead she just sighed and said, "Me neither."

Emma rocked herself side-to-side on her feet with her arms crossed over her chest. She wanted to ask that question burning the tip of her tongue, but she also didn't want to burden the mayor with it either. Finally, she gave in.

"I was wondering if maybe…well, you know, it's just that… When I was cursed," she thought back to those moments in her dreams and blushed, thankful for the darkness of the room. "Having you with me was the only time I could really sleep, you know? I thought maybe…you know since tomorrow will be such an important day and we should be well rested, if maybe…well…" She inwardly berated herself for this rambling mess she was unloading.

 _Some Savior I am,_ she thought.

She was grateful when Regina cut in, saving her from the mess of words exploding from her mouth. "Emma, if you wish to rest with me you may. I understand."

Regina said the words calmly, as if they were completely normal, as if the implication there wasn't something game-changing for them at all. Truth was, however, that she was a mess inside at the idea, despite choosing her words carefully and forcing them out in the smoothest tone she could muster. Truth was, she also found herself missing the feel of Emma Swan in her arms at night, or, at the very least, their hands interlocked.

She didn't think beyond that, about what that meant about her deeper feelings for the woman. She couldn't, not yet. Those thoughts that had been tumbling through the shadows of her mind, that had flitted to the surface more often in the past weeks, she pushed them away and focused on the moment, on what needed to be done to save her loved ones from the Evil Queen.

From her own personal demon.

She scooted over in the bed and pulled down the cover, showing Emma that she meant the invitation, and after a second's consideration, Emma crawled in beside her. Both knew, even if they forced themselves not to dwell on it or talk about it, that this was a big moment for them. This went beyond comforting actions in a dream-realm, beyond holding the hand of a cursed friend, beyond a desperate kiss to wake said friend. This was the real world. Neither woman was currently cursed or dying or any such thing. They were just tired—physically and emotionally tired, and so, if they could for a moment find comfort, a salvation from the rest of the world, in one another's arms, so be it.

That salvation was, in fact, found in one another's arms, when they wordlessly inched closer and wrapped their arms around one another. In just a few minutes they were both sound asleep.

It took all of Snow's willpower not to panic in the morning when Emma was not to be found. She had been the first to wake—somehow even little Neal was still sound asleep, likely happy to be back in his own bed. She had crept downstairs to start a pot of coffee only to find the couch unoccupied.

She forced herself to take deep breaths as she crept up the stairs. If anyone would know where Emma was, it would likely be Regina. Or, at the very least, Regina would be the best one to locate the missing Savior.

She certainly hadn't expected the sight her eyes took in as she peeked into the room. Sure, her daughter and former nemesis had forged a strong friendship, but _cuddling?_ Snow stepped back, shutting the door quietly once again, and crept back down the stairs, maintaining her cool. She returned to her own room, sat on the bed next to her husband, and then proceeded to panic.

"Oh my goodness," she muttered. "Oh. My. Goodness."

"Mm?" Charming groaned, opening his eyes and sluggishly pulling himself up next to his wife. "Snow? Everything all right?"

"David, I…" She rocked back and forth, trying to calm herself down, trying to figure out why, exactly, she was on the verge of a panic attack. She took a deep breath and held it for a moment before releasing it with her anxiety.

She turned to her husband. "Charming, I think I know how Emma woke from her curse."

He smiled his charming smile, eager to know what she knew.

"I'll tell you," she began, "but you have to promise not to freak out, okay?"

His smile faltered. "Why would I freak out?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Just promise."

His blue eyes shimmered with uncertainty, but he trusted his wife and nodded. "I promise."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I'm pretty sure it was Regina," she said quickly.

Charming was quiet for a moment and his face gave no indication to his thoughts. When he spoke, his words and tone did nothing to help her understand how he was feeling. "What makes you think that?" he asked.

"Well, when I woke up I went to make some coffee and noticed that Emma wasn't around, so I went to ask Regina if she knew anything, and…well…I found Emma too, sound asleep with Regina in her arms." Her hands fidgeted with the blanket until Charming snatched them up in his own.

"That's wonderful," he said, his charming smile plastered once again across his face.

Snow was dumbfounded. She opened her mouth a few times, shutting it again. Finally, she blurted out, "It is?!"

Charming merely chuckled. "Of course it is! Don't you think so? Sure, it seems strange considering where we all came from, who Regina used to be…but think about who they are now, about their relationship with one another. They bring out the best in one another. They give each other hope. Can you honestly say you've never wondered about them? Haven't you seen the way they look at each other sometimes?"

She was quiet as she considered his words, and slowly, as their time in Storybrooke since Emma's arrival flashed by in her mind, and as she thought about how much Emma seemed to care for Regina, and about how much Regina seemed to care in return, a smile began to creep across her face. "True love," she whispered happily, nearly breaking down into giggles. "Our daughter has found true love!" She bounced on the bed, gripping David's hands tighter in her own, and kissing him passionately.

Neal started crying just then, signaling the official start of the day.

Later all of them have gathered around the table for breakfast, cooked up by a very cheerful Snow White, and, much to Regina's chagrin, it was quite a nice meal.

"You're in a good mood today, Grandma," Henry commented as Snow passed him the orange juice with a smile so wide it was almost too much for him.

"Yeah Mom, what's up?" Emma added in a tired tone. She had no reason to assume her mother had caught her sleeping next to Regina, because she had practically skipped down the stairs as soon as she had heard Neal crying.

Snow shook her head and muttered something about nothing, but the happy grin she shot at her husband gave her away. But they let it go, assuming that it was just something between the couple.

They ate in peace, not discussing the crisis on their hands, but the moment the plates were cleared away, Emma cleared her throat, garnering the attention of the others. "I know you guys said capturing the Evil Queen wasn't a good plan in the long run, but I think it's a good step one. We can't just let her roam free if she's such a danger to everyone."

The others nodded.

"Any ideas?" Snow asked.

"The cuff?" Charming wondered aloud.

"The cuff could work," Regina added. "With her magic gone we could just hold her in the jail until we figure something else out."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Henry said with a smile at his mother.

Regina gave a small smile but it quickly faded. Emma saw this change in expression and considered what it might mean.

She realized what was likely bothering Regina. She knew that the Evil Queen would use anyone close to Regina in any way she could. She had, after all, already been a victim of this malice. She shuddered at the memory and hated herself for the way it made her feel, so foolish and yet at the same time her body had a mind of its own, growing embarrassingly excited at the memory. She pushed it away, angry with herself.

"Henry," she began slowly. She knew she couldn't just tell him to stay behind; he no longer accepted a role on the sidelines. She decided to take a more direct approach, to treat her son like the young man he was instead of like the child she still often saw him as. "The Evil Queen is out to teach Regina that love is weakness, and you know that you're her biggest so-called weakness in that regard. We need to keep you safe."

He opened his mouth to argue but she kept on speaking, not giving him the chance.

"I have another mission for you though…"

He closed his mouth and listened, curious enough to hear her out.

She sighed. She could come up with some other mission, one that would keep him out of harm's way, but she didn't feel right doing so. She had already decided to treat him like a young man, and had told him the truth about _why_ it was dangerous—it felt wrong to turn back now to make up some excuse to send him away.

"You know what," she said, "never mind. You should be out there with us. You've been practicing with a sword, right? We might need your help, and really, the safest place is with us, even if we're going into a fight with the Evil Queen."

She shared a look with Regina, who returned the look with an expression that was at first incredulous but that shifted into one that showed that she understood. They would protect Henry from anything, and together they were stronger than anything they had ever faced.

Together they had moved an entire damn moon.

Henry grinned from ear-to-ear. "I won't rush in or do anything stupid," he informed them. "I won't do things the Emma Swan way, but I'll have your backs."

"Hey!" Emma exclaimed with a grin, slapping at his arm, blushing a light shade of pink when everyone else laughed at his comment, even Regina. She blushed even harder when Regina reached over to her mid-laugh and brushed her arm with her fingertips, a gesture that Snow noticed and nearly squealed about, but she kept her cool—just barely.

They split up to prepare for their showdown. Charming and Snow needed to take Neal back to the fairies and Emma and Regina were headed to the vault to get the cuff. Knowing that the Savior and the mayor probably had some things to talk about, Snow asked Henry to come along with them instead of his mothers, under the guise of helping to protect Neal if something happened along the way, which really wasn't a lie.

Opting not to use magic to transport themselves, as the Evil Queen would likely sense it, Regina and Emma decided to walk instead. Emma was not looking forward to a return to the vault, not after what had happened the last time she had been down there. To keep her mind off of this matter, she began to talk, and soon the random conversation turned to one more pertinent.

"I just want you to know, Regina, that I don't expect anything from you," she said quietly.

Regina glanced at her as they walked. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean, I know that we're true loves or whatever, and I really appreciate you waking me from the curse…and keeping me safe at night…and helping me sleep last night, but I don't expect anything else from you. You aren't obligated to do anything else, you know?"

Regina thought about those words and frowned. "Are you trying to say you don't want anything else?" she asked. She wasn't sure what it was she wanted with Emma, but she couldn't help but feel a bit rejected at that idea.

"No!" Emma quickly exclaimed, halting and turning to Regina. She grabbed Regina's hands and turned her to look back at her. "That's not what I'm saying at all. Listen. I know this is all rather sudden, you know, finding out that we're…" she blushed at the words she left unsaid, "I know we haven't really had a chance to talk about things, but I need you to know something. I care about you. I…love you. I know you already know that, because we're friends, but I love you beyond that, and to be honest, I have for quite a while." She began to shift nervously but kept holding her gaze, staring straight into Regina's dark hues. "My feelings for you aren't new. I know I was with Killian, and I tried to make that work, but in the back of my mind I always knew that I felt something beyond friendship for you."

"But…" she bit her lip and looked down, letting go of Regina's hands, "you were with Robin, and he was your soul mate, and you and I were friends… and now, I just want you to understand that yes, I would like to see where this could go, I would like to…be with you, and I would do everything I could to make you happy, but I also understand that this is really sudden, and that you just lost Robin," she held back some tears, knowing her role in Robin's death. "That's what I mean when I say I have no expectations. It's…well, it's your move, Madam Mayor." She tried to end on a slightly higher note, a throwback to their earliest days.

Regina reached over and took Emma's hands back into hers, urging the blonde to back up at her. When Emma looked up, Regina spoke. "Emma, I love you too. If I didn't, the kiss wouldn't have worked. And I'll be honest, I have had feelings for you for quite a while too, but I never understood them for what they were, and never would have admitted them. Robin was my soulmate, and I did love him, I really did, but I also know that things with him were not as they were meant to be. My chance with him, I truly believe, was all those years ago in the Enchanted Forest. I appreciate you giving me time to figure things out, and I do need that time. I'm not ready for anything else, but I want you to know how I feel, especially since…well, just in case…"

Emma smiled, blinking back tears, and reached up to tuck Regina's hair behind her ear, leaving her hand there on her cheek for a moment. "We'll be all right," she whispered, referring to their upcoming showdown and so much more.

Regina gave a small smile, her own eyes shimmering with held back tears. "I know," she said, and then they took off once again towards the vault.

It was time. The crew was gathered together just outside of Granny's for their showdown with the Evil Queen. Charming and Henry had their swords out, Snow had her bow, Regina had the cuff, and Emma stood with a sword strapped to her back and the Queen's dark heart in her hand.

Others wanted to help too, such as Hook, Granny, and the dwarves, but they were asked to guard the diner instead, and more importantly Belle with her unborn Dark One. That sort of power needed to be kept out of the hands of those who would use it for their own nefarious means, such as the Evil Queen.

"Ready?" Emma asked, and the others nodded. They had no idea where the Queen was, and she wasn't in the vault when they had stopped by for the cuff. Thus, they also had no idea what she was up to.

Emma lifted the heart to her lips and issued a command. A moment later the Evil Queen appeared in her cloud of purple smoke, the expression on her face one of pure malice and rage.

There was a round of taunting and then the battle began. Fireballs and streams of magic were thrown this way and that as the other fighters hung back, looking for opportunities to strike that did not come, outside of Snow holding off the Evil Queen once with an arrow just in front of her face.

Regina, needing to concentrate on holding back her counterpart with her magic, handed the cuff off to Henry.

Together, their magical streams twisting around one another as they shot towards the Queen, Regina and Emma held her in place and Henry used the opportunity to get the cuff on her arm. He jumped back, holding up his sword, as she turned with pure evil in her eyes. She tried to summon up the magic to end him where he stood, but it wouldn't come.

She screamed in rage and made to grab him. She didn't need her magic to kill the boy, and she had little fear that he'd put the sword to use on her, the very image of his beloved mother.

But she was wrong.

It took a moment for her to realize what had happened through the blinding pain she felt in her stomach. She looked down and saw the steel of the sword as Henry pulled it out. She grasped at the wound, covering her hands in her own blood. She fell to her knees, looking back up at the boy with a look of pure confusion.

Henry stepped backwards on shaking legs, tears falling from his eyes. He had protected himself, but the woman before him, looking up at him with all of that anguish in her eyes, was a part of his mother, and it had been by his hand that she had fallen, bloodied.

"We can't let her die," Snow said, running towards Henry and pulling him into her arms.

"Why?" Regina snarled, staring down at her other self in disgust.

"Because she'll just come back again," Emma answered. She knelt down to see the wound and tried to heal it, but it was too deep. It would only be a few minutes before the woman lying on the ground would be dead. She stared down into the dark eyes so familiar to those she had fallen in love with, having a hard time herself with not crying, especially when the Queen stared back at her and she could see beyond that darkness to the pain inside.

She had an idea. She had no idea if it would work, but she had to try.

She stood and walked over to Regina. "Do you trust me?" she asked.

Regina stared at her for a moment, wondering what she was planning, before nodding.

Emma held up the Queen's heart that she still had in her hand and took a deep breath. Then, without warning, she shoved it into Regina's chest.

Regina gasped and nearly fell to her knees, but Emma caught her with a worried look in her eyes. Regina felt a steady pain spread through her body and felt the familiar darkness as it flowed through her veins. She clung to Emma in fear and for stability as she fought to maintain her control.

On the ground the Queen gasped and closed her eyes. She faded away into a purple mist and was absorbed by Regina once again, her sharp and unnerving scream echoing as she went.

The others stood by, watching the scene unfold.

There were tears in Regina's eyes. She stared into Emma's bright green hues and begged for the strength to stand up against this darkness again.

"I can't do this," she groaned, failing to hold back the tears. The pain was too much. The darkness was too much.

Emma cupped Regina's face in her hands and pressed their lips together, an act of pure instinct and desire, an act to show Regina that she was there with her, always, and that she had faith that Regina was stronger than the darkness inside of her.

There was a pulse, starting with them, with the heartbeat of their kiss, that spread out over Storybrooke. They all felt it, the magic of true love, as it swept over them.

From the edge of Storybrooke a white cloud formed, sparking with magic, gradually spreading towards the center of town.

"What's happening?" Snow asked as Charming ran over to her.

Regina stood up straight. The pain was no longer there. She stared around the town before turning back to Emma.

"The curse," she said. "Emma broke it."

"I thought it was already broken," Snow exclaimed.

"Partially," she explained. "Remember when the curse first broke and you all wondered why you were still here and not back in the Enchanted Forest? Emma never fully completed her task as the Savior, she never really defeated the Evil Queen…until now."

Emma stared back at her in shock, her mouth slightly agape. "We're going back to the forest?" she asked in nearly a whisper. She had no desire to return to the land she had been sent away from as an infant.

Despite how much both Charming and Snow had wanted to return home all those years ago, they had grown to consider Storybrooke their home, and so only Henry looked excited about what was happening.

"We have to get Neal," Snow said, pulling Charming's arm. She went to Emma first, pulling her into a tight hug. "If we don't make it back in time, we'll find you on the other side. We love you."

Emma hugged her mother tightly, and her father too when he joined the embrace.

"We will always find you," he added, kissing her forehead.

Emma wiped away some tears. "I know," she said with a smile. "Now go, get my little brother."

They took off and Henry walked over to his moms, pulling them both into a hug as they waited for the white cloud to overtake them. Regina and Emma held Henry and one another close, staring into each other's eyes as they waited, and soon it came, sweeping them away.

The curse had been broken. Emma had defeated the Evil Queen at last, by stealing both her heart and a kiss of true love.

 **End Part 1**

 **A/N: This concludes part one of this story. I have a few people interested in a sequel, and would love to hear if others are interested as well. I'll be taking a break for a bit to work on my novel, but I can certainly return to carry on with this tale. Thank you all for your support, I hope you've enjoyed the story!**


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